


Alt Er Love (Everything Is Love)

by CallMeHopeless



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 5+1 Things, Community: hp_nextgen_fest, Established Relationship, Fluff, Getting Together, HP Next Gen Fest 2018, Harry Potter Next Generation, Innuendo, Kissing, M/M, Matchmaking, POV Alternating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-04 03:28:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16338965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallMeHopeless/pseuds/CallMeHopeless
Summary: There are sparks flying between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. Albus and Scorpius are sure of it. So they do the most logical thing everyone would do in their situation: They ask James and Teddy for their help playing matchmaker. Thinking about love 24/7 comes easy for Albus and Scorpius, but for James and Teddy, it makes it harder and harder to pretend the feelings they hold for each other are strictly platonic...This is the one where the boys try to set Draco and Harry up five times and one time they don't.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mzuul](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mzuul/gifts).



> Thank you to my lovely, lovely Alpha reader. I couldn't have done this without you. My beta reader, whose comments on this fic have given me life – thank you. And thank you to my lovely supporter who let me ramble and shout and scream before this was even a fic.  
> I cannot wait for the opportunity to absolutely flail all over your amazingness after reveals because I couldn't have done it without you guys! Thank you!
> 
> Dear Mzuul,  
> Thank you for your lovely prompt. I had the absolute best time writing this, thinking about it and playing around with it in my head.  
> Your artwork and your talent never fail to make me smile. If there is a Mzuul drawing on my dash, it's bound to be a good day. Your art makes me happy and giddy.  
> I desperately hope that I can somehow give something of that feeling back to you with this.  
> It was an absolute pleasure writing this.
> 
> Thank you at the mods, for creating this fest and for being absolutely amazing and fantastic! All the love!

“You were the best Seeker in the whole school, Harry. We all knew it.”

_A tentative smile._

“Oh, come off it, Draco. You did give me a run for my money!”

_Eyes sparkling with mirth._

“Would you believe me if I said I just wanted you to look good in front of your... fangirls?”

_Gaze firmly fixed on the naan bread in the middle of the table._

“Not for a second. You probably wanted to make yourself look good in front of _your_ fangirls.”

_A mocking smirk._

“I didn't have fangirls!”

_An indignant gasp._

“Oh yes... yes, you do...”

Albus' heart skipped a beat. He had no idea what he was watching. He gripped his boyfriend's hand tightly under the table as he followed both of their fathers with his eyes, before looking over to Scorpius. He raised his eyebrows. _Do you see what I see?_ Judging by his boyfriend's answering frown and side-glance to their dads, he did see what Albus saw.

Albus sank down into his seat and observed.

This called for some action.


	2. Chapter 1

“Okay dumbwits,” Albus started as he finished setting up the Muggle flipchart he'd borrowed from Hermione's office and uncapped one of the markers.

He looked at the three expectant faces before him.

Scorpius was smiling at him, knowing full well what this meeting was for. But Albus could see the wariness that was obvious in James' and Teddy's faces as he started to speak again.

“So Scorp and I had our coming out dinner yesterday-” he started before James interrupted him:

“And how did that go?”

“Fairly well, thank you James.” Scorpius grinned. “They were both rather fine with it, weren't they, Al?”

Albus nodded. This was not at all where he wanted this conversation to be going.

“Yeah, yeah. We're super gay and in love and our dads think that's amazing and they love us no matter what and all that rubbish. But the thing is, as we were sitting there, we noticed that... uhm... our dads are also super gay and in love.”

“With each other,” Scorpius added happily.

Silence filled the room and Teddy’s and James’ eyes just darted between themselves, over to the newly out and proud couple, and back.

“They're what now?” Teddy asked, squinting a bit.

Albus grimaced as he thought back to the evening before.

“They kept... uh... flirting and being all 'you're the best – no you're the best' and it was quite sickening.”

Scorpius nodded dutifully.

James snorted.

“They were being nice to each other for the sake of you two, don't go reading too much into it, guys.”

Scorpius smiled shyly. “You're right, James. And just based on the events of yesterday I wouldn’t necessarily have this opinion but...the thing is, I have... observed some things in the past... years-” He glanced at Albus. “-and I've been suspecting that my dad has been a bit... infatuated with Harry for a while now, but the way they interacted with each other yesterday? I have no doubts anymore.”

Albus nodded. “James, you must've seen how dad gets when I mention Mr Malfoy? He immediately sits up a bit straighter, his hand immediately goes to flatten his hair.” Albus snorted. “As if that helps anything... Uh, anyway. Things like that. Him always asking when I'll be over at the Manor again...”

“Him subtly – not so subtly – asking 'So Scorpius, what is your father up to these days?'” Scorpius chimed in before Albus continued in a mock imitation of Draco: “Or, 'Mr Potter. Your father is well I expect?' and Mr Malfoy tends to lean a bit forward whenever he asks it and stares at me intensely, as if he's afraid to miss my answer and-”

“Alright, alright.” Teddy held up his hands in mock surrender. “If you're sure, I trust you. What makes you address it now, though?”

Albus and Scorpius shared a look before Scorpius decided to answer:

“We think – no, we are pretty sure – that they don't... know.”

“But we think that they should know, don't you?” Albus asked and looked directly at James. “Mum left five years ago. Five, James. Five years he's been alone, what with Lily living with mum during the summer and both of us still at Hogwarts. Who knows what I'll do after graduating in the summer? And I mean you're living your dream, yeah? Youngest professional Keeper in history. And I am truly happy about that. But I also think that dad might get... lonely when we're all gone.” He winced at his own words.

He would never have thought that he’d get this invested in his father's love life. In fact, if asked just a couple of hours prior, he would have stuck his fingers in his ears and pretended not to hear anything to do with his father and whatever he did with whomever he did it with. Now here he was, trying to make his brother help him set their dad up with his boyfriend's dad – and if that wasn't a bound-to-go-wrong-premise of every soap opera ever, he didn't know what was. That didn't mean he didn't want to give it a shot.

James' eyes seemed to bore into his as he mulled it over, and Albus held his breath. It wasn't that he necessarily needed James' help to go through with his plan, but he wanted it. Wanted to know that they were in this together.

Albus' heart skipped a beat when James finally just threw his hands in the air in an exasperated manner and mumbled: “Fine, what do you want us to do?”

Albus' eyes slid over to Teddy for a similar confirmation but his eyes were strictly glued to James' face.

“Teddy?” Albus prompted and got a grunt in reply.

“Sure.”

“Yes,” Albus hissed happily before grinning at the three boys in front of him in turn.

Scorpius stood up from his chair and joined Albus at the board.

“Okay, operation D4D is underway,” he sing-songed happily.

“What is D4D?” Teddy asked.

“Dick for Dick?” Albus guessed, outraged at his boyfriend's train of thought.

“Dicks for Dads?” James couldn't stop laughing.

“Ew!” Scorpius exclaimed, all colour draining from his face, “Dates for Dads, you wankers. What the hell?”

James just laughed, Teddy shook his head but couldn't help but smile and Albus grinned at the whole scene. He knew this was going to be fun.

“D4D, people. Here's what's gonna happen.”

* * *

James groaned silently while he watched his baby brother pick out three red roses at the flower shop just around the corner. He took his time selecting the most beautiful ones and then handed one to Scorpius, having the audacity to look bashful and smiling softly when Scorpius pulled him into a kiss.

James awkwardly shuffled his dirty converse on the pavement beneath him, not really needing to see his brother's domestic bliss. He was happy for them, he truly was. But he couldn't help but feel envy at the display. Especially since the one person he would like to give a rose to was standing right next to him, observing the same scene he was.

“They are quite sickening, aren't they,” Teddy murmured quietly and James couldn't tear his gaze away as Teddy ran his fingers through his turquoise hair, making it even more messy than it had been before. And Merlin help him, but James liked Teddy's hair messy and turquoise. It tuned down his 'grown up'-ness, made him look less intimidating when he reminded all of them (but especially James) of the age difference between them. James copied the motion unconsciously and winced when he realised that his hair would probably be now standing up at odd angles. Oh well. He felt Teddy's gaze on him and quickly turned to face him properly.

“Huh, sorry? Did you say something?”

Teddy shook his head.

“It's fine.”

James was sure that Teddy was just about to say something else when Albus skipped over to them, roses clutched in one hand, the other intertwined with Scorpius'. It took all of James' willpower not to growl.

“Our part is done.” Albus held up the flowers triumphantly, handing them to Teddy.

“Now it's your turn. Meet back here at... 6?”

James glanced at his Muggle watch and nodded. Three hours should be enough time for him and Teddy to come up with a romantic poem. Whatever the hell that meant.

“Ace.” Albus grinned and pulled on Scorpius' hand before both of them turned the corner, probably having a date at the small café in Diagon that had just recently opened.

When James turned to Teddy with a sigh, he was already looking at him.

“So, trying to come up with a poem then,” Teddy mumbled and gesticulated to a shabby looking pub across the street. “Fancy a pint?”

James nodded. “I'm not sure how we'll get through this without it.”

As soon as they ordered their beer and chips, Teddy sighed.

“I feel like I'm too old for this,” he said while twirling a Muggle pen between his fingers. “Like what are we doing, trying to set Draco and Harry up?”

James shrugged, trying not to feel the familiar pang at 'too old'. He was only twenty-six after all.

“Albus is right though,” James said, eyes resolutely fixed on the dirty old tablecloth that covered their table. “Dad is lonely. And if Albus is right and he has a thing for Mr Malfoy – who are we to not support that?”

Teddy grit his teeth, an action that set James on edge.

“We're not supporting them though, are we? We're writing a bloody love poem for them.”

James nodded. “So get your head out of your arse, Lupin, and start rhyming.”

* * *

“How do you think they're getting on?” Scorpius asked Albus giddily while digging into the enormous sundae they'd bought themselves as a reward for coming up with the brilliant poem idea.  
Albus watched his boyfriend, eyes going soft at the nervous energy radiating off him.

“I think they're getting on splendidly. After all, James always did have a way with words,” he managed to get out while shovelling some ice-cream in.

* * *

“Are you mad?! Dad would never comment on something like that,” James frowned.

Teddy sighed as if he wanted to give up. “Okay, read me what we have so far again.”

 _“Your eyes shine like diamonds_  
your smile's like the sea  
your heart is enormous -  
please go out with me,” James recited and looked at Teddy when he finished.

He couldn't really decipher the expression on Teddy's face until he started laughing uncontrollably.  
James wasn't quite sure what had brought this on but he knew this: There were few things in this world he loved as much as Teddy's laugh. It wasn't very surprising that the corners of his mouth turned upwards a bit on their own accord.

“That is... terrible,” Teddy finally wheezed out, wiping a tear from his face.

“Truly terrible.”

“Well then, have you any better ideas?” James challenged, still grinning.

Teddy thought for a moment, his hair turning a bright yellow while he chewed on his lip. James was mesmerised.

“How about... and hear me out here...” Teddy started and looked directly into James' eyes:

_“Your eyes shine like a promise I would like to keep_  
I have to watch myself before I'm in too deep  
There is nowhere I would rather be than in your arms  
I am so lost for you and your devastating charms  
This is cheesy but believe me it's true;  
I might just be a little in love with you.” 

Somewhere along the second line, James had forgotten how to breathe.

For a moment, neither of them said a word, just staring at each other across the wobbly table in this dodgy pub that smelled of grease and piss and yet there was no place James would rather be.  
Teddy broke the moment when a slow smile crept onto his features.

“Heh? Have I charmed you, young Potter?”

James forced himself to roll his eyes, trying not to let the blush he felt coming on spread over his face. “Fuck off, Lupin. I was merely speechless at the utter sappiness of that. Albus will like it though, so write it up and let's go.”

Suddenly, he couldn't wait to leave. Teddy's grin, his knowing smirk, had set something aflame in James. He would have to keep his feelings in check if he wanted to continue hanging out with his god-brother. He couldn't lose him over this. He absolutely couldn't.

* * *

“Gang, tonight is the night where we will see our fathers unite in a happy union I do not want to think about more than I necessarily have to,” Albus exclaimed happily as the four of them crept up on the Manor. They saw light through the kitchen window and crouched beneath the windowsill, trying to get a good look inside. Draco was standing at the kitchen counter, sipping tea and reading the paper.

Happy that their first subject was there, Albus placed one of the roses and one of the cards with the poem inside into Scorpius' hand and grinned at him.

“Up to you, Scorp.” He smiled lovingly, and Scorpius was gone.

They waited for a moment until they heard a door fall shut.

“Hey dad?” Scorpius called out, strolling into the kitchen and placing the rose and card in front of his father.

“There was an owl outside, she brought these,” he said conversationally. Albus could hear the slight tremor in his voice Scorpius always got when he was lying, but Albus hoped that Draco wouldn't pick up on that in favour of looking at the card.

Look at the card he did. He read the poem out loud and laughed.

Irritated and intrigued at the same time, Albus chanced a glimpse into the window and saw Draco letting the card fall into the rubbish bin.

“Nothing but advertisement,” he announced to his son who'd got owlishly big eyes at his father's action. “I keep the card and tomorrow it'll reveal what they want me to buy. I am not buying that,” he mumbled and got back to his tea, still chuckling. “I have to hand it to them, though. They're getting more and more creative with each letter.”

Albus swore.

That was a bust, then. He could only hope that his own dad was a bit more trusting. Knowing Harry Potter, that wouldn't be a problem.

* * *

Alas, it was a problem.

Harry did have a different reaction to Draco but it wasn't any less frustrating. As soon as a grinning Albus had handed Harry the note and flower, he'd got a stony face.

His jaw was set as he read the note before he cast a wandless, voiceless _Incendio_ on both.

As the boys watched their efforts go up in flames, Harry muttered something about fanletters and better protection and left the room.

And that was that.

Except that Albus Severus Potter wasn't one to give up, which is why he fixed each of his partners in crime with a heated look and declared: “Back to the drawing board!”

“Flipchart,” Scorpius corrected him quietly, sounding deflated.

“Right. Back to the flipchart!”

And off they went.


	3. Chapter 2

“So obviously that didn't work.” Albus sighed forlornly and tightened his grip around Scorpius' waist for support.

“You think?” James couldn't help but remark. He couldn't remember ever feeling this on edge before. He felt like ants were crawling just underneath his skin, making him shiver at random. He'd felt like that ever since he'd been at the pub with Teddy, just the two of them, trying to come up with romantic poems... it had done something to him that was irreversible. Before, he'd had the problem that he couldn't stop looking at Teddy. Now? Now his problem was that he couldn't look at him without blushing, recalling Teddy's lips reciting the poem over and over again in his head.

This was a serious problem and he blamed his brother. His brother who already had everything he could ever want, judging by the small smile that appeared on his face whenever he laid eyes on Scorpius and thought that nobody was looking. James wanted that. He didn't just want that, he wanted it with Teddy. He had already started to regret his choice to participate in this mad plan to matchmake his dad, especially when Teddy kept sitting so close to him. All these talks of wooing and love only made it worse for James, and he honestly didn't know how much of it he could take.

Usually, James would just go for it. He really wasn't the type to hold back and be shy about what he wanted. But this was Teddy. His godbrother. The boy he'd admired from a very young age. The boy he eventually fell for at age fifteen when James had just realised that he liked boys instead of girls and Teddy came over to their house for a whole summer to share James' room. In those couple of weeks, James couldn’t get out of his own chambers fast enough whenever he woke up to Teddy’s sleeping form, his crush only getting stronger and stronger. Especially since Teddy had been so kind to him. Had offered to help with his homework, to practise Quidditch moves with him, and James had just wanted all of Teddy so much. He hadn’t dared to voice his feelings because this was Teddy, who kept reminding him of his status as Harry's godson - and by extension James’ own godbrother - and even more annoyingly, their six year age gap. Sometimes James thought that Teddy did it to keep him at arm’s length. As if he could sense the crush that James had been harbouring for years and tried to let him down easy without the embarrassment of actually having to say 'thank you but no thanks'. James sometimes thought about whether an actual clear rejection would be easier for him to handle than this state of wondering, now knowing but strongly suspecting that Teddy didn't – couldn't – see him that way. And then he would look at Teddy's face, take in his bright eyes, the smile that could outshine a thousand suns and suddenly, he was fine being just godbrothers and friends again. If only Teddy hadn't recited love poetry at him, James was sure he'd be fine.

 

James was torn from these thoughts when Albus cleared his throat and called for their attention.

“Alright. So Scorpius had another idea last night,” Albus announced happily. Scorpius nodded.

“I am not sure if this will work because I thought the last plan was pretty good, too,” he squeezed Albus' shoulder affectionately, “but I was thinking, since they always seem to be so interested in what the other does and says, why don't we feed them some... things that aren't technically true.”

“Like what?” Teddy arched an eyebrow, and James was pretty sure that that perfectly arched eyebrow would follow him into his dreamland.

“Like compliments,” Albus explained enthusiastically. “Like when dad asks me how dinner at the Manor was I'll just say something along the lines of 'it was fine, dad. We had a good time. We were talking about you, actually and how I have unfortunately inherited your horrible case of untamable bedhead.'”

James stared at his brother, trying to contemplate what he was saying. “Er, you realise that that's not necessarily a compliment, don't you?” he finally asked.

Albus scrunched up his nose in thought. “You're right. We'll just have to come up with some good things. Okay, team exercise,” he announced. “Scorp and I will think of compliments to feed Draco, and you guys will brainstorm compliments to tell to dad.”

“Why is it always Scorp and you and Teddy and me?” James asked. He honestly hadn't meant to but it had just slipped out. Three pairs of eyes were blinking at him and he immediately felt heat rise up his neck.

“Well,” Albus started, “number one, because Scorpius is my boyfriend and I'll not have him exposed to your gibberish and two, he knows his dad best, I know his dad second best from the four of us and you two know our dad better than Scorp does. Is that a problem?”

James scratched the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. “No, no problem, of course not.”

Soon after, they had divided themselves up. Scorpius and Albus had vanished into Albus' room and Teddy and James had stayed in the living room. Neutral territory, James told himself. Teddy had made for the stairs as well, to take their conversation to James' bedroom, but James had argued that he wanted food first which is why he was currently sitting on their living room sofa, munching on a sandwich he didn't really want.

Teddy had been quiet since James' outburst, which made James feel even worse. He wanted to clear the air, to tell Teddy that he hadn't meant it in a bad way but he was afraid that if he tried resolving the tension between them, that he would end up saying something he couldn't take back. So he just sighed, put his sandwich on the table in front of them and looked over at Teddy, who was twirling a pen between his fingers idly. His gaze was fixed on the movement, his – today magenta – hair was falling into his face and he looked... miserable. Upon realising that, James felt infinitely worse.

“So, compliments,” he muttered and Teddy nodded without looking up.

“What do you think they would say about each other?”

* * *

Albus reached over and gently took Scorpius' hand in his as soon as they settled comfortably on Albus' four poster bed. He slowly lifted his hand up to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to his boyfriend's knuckles.

“You are so beautiful,” he breathed softly, gazing into Scorpius' eyes.

Scorpius scoffed but a smile tugged on his lips. Albus knew that he didn't take compliments well because they made him feel awkward, but that didn't keep Albus from speaking his mind. Scorpius had told him that even though he didn't show it well, he was a roaring party on the inside whenever Albus complimented him.

“Bloody sap,” was what Scorpius finally settled on and intertwined their fingers lazily.

“You like it,” Albus mumbled and grabbed his notebook and a pen from his bedside table, careful not to let go of Scorpius' hand.

Scorpius huffed but this time the smile fully spread over his face. “I do. Now, what do we tell our dads?” Albus scrunched up his forehead in thought.

“How about we tell your dad that my dad thinks he is... that he has... shiny hair.”

“Shiny hair? Yes, I totally see that going down well. 'Dad? So I've overheard Harry saying that you have shiny hair' you know what he's gonna think, Al? He's gonna think shiny means greasy and then he will have a complete mental breakdown.”

Albus, who'd opened his mouth during the short monologue instantly closed it again. His lips turned up slowly as he looked at Scorpius. He took in his boyfriend's tousled hair that fell freely around his face, some of it falling over his right eye in soft waves. He took in the pale grey eyes that belonged to the boy Albus would tell every single secret to. Every single thought he had ever had, no matter how stupid, it was Scorpius who he would tell if he asked. Not for the first time, the words _I love you_ swirled through his mind when he watched as Scorpius tried to roll up the too large sleeve of his jumper with one hand, still firmly clasping Albus' with the other. They hadn't said _that_ to each other yet, but Albus was bursting with love and he needed to tell Scorpius. Wanted to tell him. He just wanted to remember the moment forever, so he waited and waited and waited for the perfect moment. He figured that maybe he could take Scorp out to a nice restaurant after the matchmaking exercise for their dads was over and done with. Oh, who was he kidding? He would of course take Scorpius to a bookshop and for ice cream. Maybe a Muggle bookshop as Scorpius loved to read Muggle books and almost never got to go to their bookstores (Albus strongly suspected that Draco was confused by Muggle money and didn't want to admit to it, which ultimately led to them only ever venturing into Muggle London whenever Albus was with them). He knew that he wanted it to be perfect. He knew he wanted Scorpius to be happy. Because if Scorpius was happy, he was too.

He jumped when he realised that Scorpius had been staring at him questioningly and only then realised that he still hadn't answered, so he quickly held his one free hand up in mock surrender and said: “Okay, point taken. So, what does your dad like about himself?”

Scorpius thought for a bit tapping a slow beat onto the covers of Albus' bed.

“Oh, I know! I remember he was really into his backpack back in his Hogwarts days. It was all Dragonhide and super expensive and he sometimes thinks back on it and wanted to get me one too but you know me, ew, no.”

Albus nodded enthusiastically.

“Dragonhide backpack, got it.”

* * *

James grit his teeth in frustration. They'd been at it for nearly an hour now and nothing useful had come of it yet. Teddy was being moody and generally unresponsive and James just couldn't think like this.

He let himself fall against the back of the sofa and sighed.

“We'll just tell dad that Malfoy thought him handsome at the Yule Ball or something.”

A snort.

James really wasn't in the mood for this kind of behaviour and he felt something in him snap.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“No, Teddy, you clearly have something you want to say so I'll ask again: What?”

He didn't look over at Teddy, too scared that he would have a complete meltdown at this point. Whoever were the people who said that being in love was the best thing in the world? From where James was standing, it was anything but.

“Well it's just a horrible compliment is all. Especially seeing as this is ancient history, how would this even come up?”

“Horrible compliment,” James repeated. “Well if you're so smart, come up with something better.”

Teddy sighed and finally put the pen down, stilling his fingers.

“Jamie...” he started in a soft tone.

“No, no, honestly Teddy. It is so fucking hard to compliment someone genuinely without telling them how you feel. So unless we want to go up to dad and say 'guess what, Draco bloody Malfoy has told us about his huge super gay crush on you', we will have to find something _less_.”

“James, calm down, this isn't really that hard, it's just compliments.”

James jumped up from his seat on the couch and ran his fingers through his hair in sheer frustration. He wasn't thinking right, he was overwhelmed, he was _mad_. He realised that he was raising his voice, that he was almost shouting at Teddy but he couldn't help it. He felt so overwhelmed and tired that he just let go and snapped:

“It's just compliments, huh? Well then Mr. it's-really-not-that-hard, enlighten me! How do you tell someone that you love them without telling saying the actual words? How can you admit that he is all you think about all day, every day and that you wish...that you _long_ for him to return your feelings. That you feel like electricity is running through your body whenever he is in the same room and how it suddenly gets hard to breathe when he smiles? How can you tell someone how much he means to you without making a complete fool of yourself? How can you put yourself out there when you know that a rejection would actually kill you because he is everything to you and you couldn't deal with not seeing him all the time? Not listening to his laugh, not seeing the way he rolls up the shirt sleeves of his stupid Auror uniform when he finally gets home after a manhunt and you just want to touch him and keep him close because you haven't slept that whole week while he was on duty and you're just so relieved that he is alive? How do you put your heart on the line and endanger yourself to get completely wrecked? It's hard, Teddy. It's hard and terrifying and you have not one fucking clue about it!”

With that, he stomped out of the room, up the stairs and flung himself onto his bed after slamming the door to his room shut. All of a sudden, he felt empty. He felt anxious that he'd said too much and that he had finally done what he'd always been afraid of: that he'd chased Teddy away.

For a while, he didn't hear anything and he was glad for it. For a second, he'd been anxious that Teddy would come looking for him and he was infinitely glad that he hadn't. He closed his eyes for just a minute, trying to take deep and calming breaths to forget that that had actually happened.

* * *

Albus held his breath during James’ loud outburst. He couldn't hear every single word but he and Scorpius stared at each other with wide eyes, both absolutely frozen in shock.

James was usually the fun brother. The easy-going one. The one who was usually unfazed by everything. Albus didn't think he'd ever heard his brother shout like that and at Teddy no less. James, who usually worshipped the floor Teddy walked over since they were kids. Something serious must've happened.

Then they heard a door slam and a following silence.

“What the hell was that?” Albus asked in hushed tones even though James couldn't hear him.

“I think your brother finally snapped,” Scorpius mumbled and bit his lip in thought. Albus stared at him.

“What do you mean?”

Scorpius shrugged. “It's a bit obvious, isn't it? How gone he is for Teddy? I thought that's why you made us split up for assignments so that those two would be pushed together in a... more or less romantic setting.”

Albus was speechless. “What?”

Scorpius shrugged again and starting biting the nail of his thumb. A habit he was trying to break but which would come out whenever he was feeling nervous.

“You really think James likes Teddy?”

“I think he more than likes him, Albus. Well, from my observation at least. I could be wrong but I really don’t think I am. And what's more, from what I've seen when they are together, I think Teddy feels the same way, and...” He bit his lip obviously thinking about whether or not to say that next part out loud, “and I think that the poem that Teddy wrote... the one that we put on the card for your dad, I think that he was thinking of James when he wrote it.”

“What makes you say that?” Albus asked, trying to go through all the interactions between his brother and Teddy of the past couple of months, the past years even, and he had to admit that Scorpius might be right.

Scorpius shrugged.

“It's so vulnerable and the whole line about watching himself before he falls too deep? That screams someone being terrified of what he's feeling.”

And just like that, Albus' mind was made up. He jumped from the bed and rushed down the stairs to find Teddy in their kitchen, putting away the plate from James' snack.

“Hey,” he said slowly.

Teddy's back was hunched and his hair had lost some of his usual vibrant colour, magenta mixing with a sluggish brown. Albus' heart almost broke at the sight.

“Hey Albus.” Teddy smiled at him but it didn't reach his eyes. “How are the compliments coming?”

Albus nodded and leaned against the door frame while Teddy propped himself against the kitchen counter and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“Fine. Better than yours I suppose.”

“Ah, you heard that then.”

Albus nodded and Teddy sighed.

“I don't know what's wrong with him and I am honestly afraid to ask but... he's been on edge all day, not looking at me, not speaking with me... trying to get you to change assignment partners.” He rubbed his hand over his eyes almost as if he were tired. “I just don't know if I've done something to hurt him. Because Albus that is honestly the last thing I would ever want to do. Ever.”

Albus nodded understandingly.

“I think,” he slowly started, trying not to make the situation worse. “I think he is afraid.”

Teddy scoffed. “James? Afraid?”

He immediately shut up when he saw the stern look Albus had on his face.

“I think he puts on a brave face but I don't think he is all that all the time,” Teddy finally mumbled. “And I wish he would let me in more because it is obvious that something is bothering him. And I don't know if that was a hypothetical outburst before or if he has his eye on someone-”

“ _You,_ he has his eye on you,” Scorpius piped up, coming to stand next to Albus and meeting Teddy's incredulous stare with a soft look. Albus stared at his boyfriend with his eyes wide open. 

“You can’t just go and say things like that,” Albus hissed in a low voice. Scorpius just turned to him and smiled sadly. “Sometimes you have to hit people over the head with it. Look at him, Albus.” 

“Hey!” Teddy interrupted but they didn’t pay him any mind. 

“He looks worn out, tired… I don’t think you would be this upset if it was just a friend who had a bad day, is it Teddy?” 

Albus couldn’t help but stare at his boyfriend. When the hell had he gotten so observant? And how the hell did he make basic human observation sound so damn sexy? There would be some snogging later, Albus decided, and nobody was going to stop him.

Scorpius continued: “And you’re wondering about the things he’s said, aren’t you?” Then, he carefully turned to Albus and whispered: “I've got this, go talk to your brother,” and brushed a strand of hair out of Albus' face. He just nodded and with a last look at Teddy, who was still staring at Scorpius, jaw set and posture rigid, he climbed up the stairs and softly knocked on James' door.

A grunt was the only form of interaction he got, so he opened the door and found James lying motionless on his bed. The sun was setting and bathed the whole room in a dark orange, shining right on James' face.

“So I heard you shouting earlier,” Albus admitted and let himself fall onto the bed next to his brother, propping himself up against the headboard.

“Sorry,” he mumbled and turned around to face Albus. “I really didn't mean to.”

“I know,” Albus said quickly. “so what happened?”

The silence between them stretched and finally, in a very small and quiet voice, James said: “I am in love with Teddy, Albus.”

Albus nodded and watched James fiddle with a loose thread on his pillow he was half-burying his head in.

“Yeah, we figured.”

That made James snort. “You mean Scorpius figured. If you had suspected, we would have had this chat a long time ago.”

Albus laughed. “Point taken, that doesn't mean that I am not here for you, now.”

“'S weird, since I'm the older brother but...thanks.” James sounded muffled from where he half hid in his pillow.

Albus shrugged and nudged James' foot with his own. “Remember when I used to be in here all the damn time because I was mooning over Scorpius? I'm just reciprocating. Though if I was trying to do that, I would have to be in here constantly for the next two years.” He grimaced. “Not sure if we both want that.”

“But you got your boy in the end.” James ruffled Albus' hair. “Even though you were truly pathetic.”

“Hey, I wasn't that bad.”

James sat up slowly and copied his brother's position, leaning against the headboard.

“It was bloody horrible. You were a pining mess.”

“Because you're so much better now.”

James glanced at Albus sideways, a smile still tugging at his lips as he said: “Watch it...”

“Pining mess,” Albus repeated for emphasis and that was the last straw.

James lunged at him and pulled him in a headlock, ruffling his hair until they were both laughing and wheezing. When they'd calmed down again, Albus asked: “So are you going to tell him, or nah?”

That had James lifting his head and staring at his brother in complete bewilderment. “Are you kidding me? Me? Tell Teddy 'Oh Jamie never forget that we are six years apart and also godbrothers' that I love him more than I love anything else on this planet? No?”

Albus sucked in a sharp breath. “Wow, that was some declaration right there.”

James plopped back down, this time on his back, staring at the ceiling. “Well if it's true...”

“Six years isn't so bad.”

“Tell him that.”

“And being godbrothers doesn't make you actual brothers. It's just our dad being friends with his dad and taking care of him and stuff.”

“Tell. Him. That.”

Albus exhaled loudly. “This is a pickle.”

James laughed out loud, looking at his brother fondly. “Al, your Scorpius is showing.”

Albus shrugged. “Well it's true isn't it? And besides, we're bound to rub off on each other what with all the time we spend together.”

“True. You two are disgustingly cute, you know.”

“I know,” Albus beamed, perfectly happy about that fact. He loved being a couple with Scorpius. He loved being in love. He loved everything about it and he wasn't afraid to show it.

“Did you two come up with a compliment for dad, then?” Albus asked, already suspecting the answer.

“No.”

“Thought so. How about we tell him that Malfoy actually really likes men in glasses. I figured we could do that. That he finds it sexy and dad will say 'but he always called me a speccy git!' and we'll just look at him and go 'well, you were rivals, he couldn't just have come out and say it, yeah?' What do you think?”

James snorted in amusement.

“Sure, let's do that.”

* * *

“...so then my father suggested I get one of those backpacks... oh hold on, Mr. Malfoy! He said that you had one of those in school and that he admired you greatly for it!”

Albus thought he was very convincing, happily put another fork full of mashed potatoes in his mouth and chewed carefully. His spirits faltered a little, when Draco's lips quirked up.

“Is that so? And please, Albus, I told you to call me Draco.”

Albus nodded. “Er, yes, Draco. And so he said that you always walked around with one and how fashionable and cool it looked and that he thought I should get one, too.”

“Did he now?” The amusement was now very evident in his voice.

Scorpius quickly chimed in. “Yes! He asked why I didn't have one and that maybe Albus and I could get matching ones and how he would have loved someone to have matching backpacks at school.”

Draco gently put his cutlery down and studied both boys with a twinkle in his eye. “I suppose he also told you about the argument we had about how dragonhide is bad because the animals get slaughtered for it, yes? And how I kept my backpack for a little while longer to not make him think his monologuing at me had actually affected me and then got rid of it very quickly?”

Albus sank in his chair while Scorpius made a confused noise in the back of his throat. “Why did you want to buy me one, then?”

Draco looked at his son evenly. “I wanted you to have all the options available and to make your own decision on the matter, that is all.”

* * *

Albus felt a little bit discouraged after the plan was obviously a bust at Malfoy Manor. He just hoped that it would work better with his own dad the next day at lunch.

Scorpius and Teddy were both there with them but as soon as Teddy and James were in the same room together, the tension was so thick that it almost made Albus unable to breathe.

“Oh it's so nice to have you all here,” Harry said excitedly as he set the table with Teddy's help. James was sitting stiffly on the sofa, pretending not to watch Teddy but unable to keep his eyes off him, and Scorpius was currently putting slices of lasagna onto plates that Albus and he had made that morning.

“Thank you for having us, Harry.” Scorpius grinned and handed him a plate.

It was only when they had all sat down and started to eat that Harry asked the question everyone knew would be coming eventually: “So, Scorpius, Albus, how was family dinner last night?”

Albus barely contained the smirk that threatened to overtake his features and instead nodded.

“It was good.”

“We had mashed potatoes with peas and pie. I love it but dad hates it. He says it's undignified to eat because it's so mushy,” Scorpius said happily.

Harry chuckled lowly. “I imagine that does sound like him.”

“It was really delicious though,” Albus said and tried to sound nonchalant, when he added: “Oh and we got to talk boys.”

“Boys?” Harry looked up and at Albus and Scorpius in turn.

Scorpius nodded.

“Ever since dad found out that I am gay, he had been a bit more open with his own sexuality and so we sometimes to comment on... well the appearance of...” He scrunched up his nose and finished lamely, “...boys.”

Harry nodded in understanding.

“So what did you talk about? Which boys?”

Albus flailed his hand around in a disregarding manner. “Oh, you know. Just features that we find sexy and what not. Draco said he has a thing for men with glasses, which was new.”

Albus held his breath and waited for his dad’s reaction and was sorely disappointed when he just nodded.

“He is an intellectual himself so that is hardly surprising.”

Albus grumbled under his breath and looked over to James for help. James' eyes however, were fixed on his plate and he looked incredibly uncomfortable. Albus decided to give the whole operation another shot:

“Especially round, fine wired glasses he said.”

Harry smirked. “Did he now?”

Albus stared at his father. How was he exactly as irritatingly unaware of how he was supposed to act as Draco was just the night before?

“He did.”

He looked over to Scorpius for help but Scorp just shrugged his shoulders in defeat before continuing to chew on his lunch.

Albus sighed. This was not what he had hoped for.

Instead of pushing it, he decided to keep a close eye on Teddy and James instead. Both of them answered Harry's question monosyllabically and it was obvious that they would both rather be anywhere else than here.

* * *

James was glad when the dinner was finally over. He was planning on washing up quickly and then making a beeline to his room as to avoid Teddy completely.

He had no idea what to say to him. He had never felt this wrong footed in his entire life. He was embarrassed about what had happened two days prior and scared of Teddy's reaction to all of it. So his current plan of action was denial, and he thought he was handling it quite well. He was just about to climb up the stairs, when he felt a hand close loosely around his wrist.

He turned around and looked straight at Teddy's face.

“Can we talk?”

James closed his eyes for a second and then nodded.

“Listen, I'm sorry for making you mad yesterday. I wasn't... I mean...” Teddy took a deep breath and James noticed that his hair was turning bright red. It only did that when Teddy was incredibly nervous and James couldn't help but stare. “It is hard to wear your heart on your sleeve. You are absolutely right about that. Especially when you've gotten so used to burying your own feelings deep inside of you because you never would have thought... never would have _dreamed_ that anything could come of it. And sometimes it takes someone to shout at you before you can admit to yourself that you do love the boy who-”

“Teddy!” Harry rushed into the hallway, a stern look on his face. The kind of look that only could mean one thing. “Robards just called us in. There is a hostage situation.”

James wanted to hold on to Teddy, wanted him to finish what he had started, wanted to know what he'd meant but before he could voice any of that, his father and Teddy were gone in a swift movement.

Albus came into the hallway, looking at him with something resembling pity in his eyes.

“Back to the flipchart?” he asked softly, and James barked out a laugh, but it sounded empty even to his own ears.

He nodded.

“Back to the flipchart,” he said, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. If anything, he was more confused than ever before. That and the words 'hostage situation' repeated themselves over and over and over again in his head. He hugged his arms around himself wishing for Teddy to come home safely.


	4. Chapter 3

Three whole days. James didn't hear from Teddy for three whole days. At first, he thought it would be fine. Teddy and his dad would rush to the scene, dissolve it, come back in time for a midnight snack. With every passing minute, Albus' and Scorpius' eyes filled with more and more pity when they looked at him until his dad’s glowing Patronus finally appeared in the living room on the third evening, without having had a word from Teddy.

James kept replaying the things Teddy had said right before he left in his head.

_“... sometimes it takes someone to shout at you before you can admit to yourself that you do love the boy who-”_

The boy who what? Who did Teddy mean? Could he mean him? James was most definitely the person who had shouted at him. But was Teddy talking about him? Immediately after Teddy had Apparated, James thought so. Albus and Scorpius did seem to think so, too, with the way they had kept smiling at him. Now? Three days later? He really wasn't so sure anymore. Maybe he'd just wanted to tell James about that boy he loved.

When Harry fell through the Floo soon after his Patronus had appeared, he was completely exhausted and limping slightly. James was sitting on the sofa, polishing his racing broom in time for his next game. When he saw his dad, he tried not to feel any disappointment at the fact that Teddy wasn't with him. Harry heaved himself onto the sofa next to James and groaned.

“Bloody criminals,” he mumbled.

James put on his best poker face and grinned.

“How dare they do crime on a Sunday?”

Harry closed his eyes and smiled.

“Exactly. I am so tired. Teddy is the same I expect. I sent him home almost immediately after the situation was dissolved. No need for a young guy like him to hang around and do paperwork.”

James smirked. “That's the point though, the young guy should do the paperwork in order for the elderly people to rest.”

Harry shot his son a warning look. “Add insult to injury, why don't you?”

James chuckled. “So, what happened?” He continued to polish his broom, swallowing hard at the thought that both his father and the man of his dreams had just been gone for three days, putting themselves in harm’s way. Maybe he should find himself someone easier to settle down with. Maybe a baker who'd bring home fresh bread rolls at precisely 5pm every evening. James immediately scrunched up his nose in disgust. No, that would be way too dull.

“Are you even listening?”

James snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look at his dad, who had a smirk on his face.

“Yeah... no,” he admitted sheepishly. “It's late, I'm tired,” he said. _I just needed to know that Teddy is safe_ , he thought. Harry nodded and was about to say something else when Albus burst into the room. Harry looked behind him expectantly and then at his son in shock.

“What? No Scorpius?”

Albus shrugged. “Scorpius went home for the night.”

It sounded a little bitter and made James smile. The two of them had decided that Albus should be with his brother in these _dark times_. James had overheard them. However, he didn't need a babysitter. He was fine.

“So listen,” Albus said conversationally as he plopped down in the arm chair across from his father and brother, and James could see the tension in his shoulders.

“We're having a family outing tomorrow.” It sounded so matter of fact that neither Harry nor James dared to contradict him for a moment.

“We what?” James asked. They hadn't planned anything. The next D4D plan was still a few days away after all. They had planned that together for Merlin's sake!

Albus looked at him and nodded. “We're going to a cafe.”

Harry eyed his son warily. “Just the three of us, or...?”

At that point, Albus had the decency to blush just lightly. “Well, the three of us and Scorpius and Teddy and... Mr. Malfoy.”

James could hear the sharp intake of breath from his father's side of the couch and shot him a surprised look. Harry didn't look annoyed or uncomfortable like he had been expecting. Instead, a small, content smile had formed on his father's face. He couldn't stop staring and then looked at Albus, who just smirked and nodded at him. For the first time, James was certain that they were doing something good here. He was momentarily so distracted by his dad's display of infatuation that he almost forgot to ask:

“Teddy? You mean Teddy will be there?”

Albus nodded. “He just sent an owl. He'll be there.”

* * *

“Albus,” James hissed when he stepped foot in the cafe his brother had been talking about. Calling it a cafe would be a stretch because as much as it had a counter at which you could order a pastry or coffee, that was where the similarities ended. While in normal cafes there were small tables with chairs to sit and chat at, this cafe only had chairs. And they were arranged all over the place. Facing each other. In _pairs_.

Before he could say anything more, however, a young girl came to greet them, excitedly holding a clipboard.

“Hi! Welcome to today's exercise! Do you have a reservation?”

Albus stepped up and smiled charmingly at the witch.

“Hi, yes, my name is Potter.”

“Lovely,” she smiled and wrote something onto the paper on her clipboard with her Muggle pen.

“It says six?”

Albus nodded. “Yes, the remaining three will be here shortly.”

The girl smiled at Albus again, then at them all in turn and wished them fun.

Fun.

Exercise.

James hated not being in the loop. His father apparently did as well because he looked around the place in obvious irritation.

“Okay,” Albus breathed before turning to face his father and brother. “So, you two take a seat. Though none of the ones where the other is already occupied -”

“Albus,” Harry muttered in a low voice. “What is this?”

Albus grimaced. “Well, uh, you see...”

“Albus!”

Scorpius walked towards them, smiling at Albus widely. He took his hand and squeezed once before letting it fall at his side again.

James couldn't help but grin at that. As unbearably cuddly the two of them were at home, they weren't really a PDA kind of couple. James thought it was cute how they always tried to touch each other somehow without being horribly obvious when there were strangers around. Like they'd suddenly become shy.

He was ripped from his thoughts, however, when he heard Draco Malfoy's deep voice right next to him.

“Potters,” he said and nodded to them in turn. James was nothing if not bewildered at the coldness the greeting seemed to radiate but Harry threw his head back in laughter.

“Cheer up, Malfoy. We're not a lion's den.”

A small smile made its way onto Draco's features as he regarded Harry. “No, I suppose not.” He turned to James. “James. I hear you have been signed by the Wynwood Dragons? Congratulations.”

James nodded, slightly surprised at being spoken to directly. Though he supposed he would have to get used to it if their plan succeeded.

“Thank you, Mr. Malfoy.”

An awkward sort of silence stretched between them and James tried resolutely not to look at either his father making eyes at Mr. Malfoy nor at Scorpius and Albus making eyes at each other.

The girl with the clipboard appeared again and asked them to take a seat as they would be soon starting. James must admit that the cafe was getting quite busy, with people taking up the chairs and silently talking to each other. He remembered Albus' words and searched for a pair of free seats until he found one right in the corner of the shop, next to a window. His dad and Mr. Malfoy had found a spot near the entrance and Albus and Scorpius were whispering to each other silently from the heart of the room.

James searched the street for a flash of turquoise or anything that would alert him of Teddy's arrival but saw nothing. Maybe he wasn't coming after all. Maybe he'd changed his mind, maybe...

“Hi Jamie, sorry I'm late.”

* * *

Albus was excited. He'd never been to one of these events before and it seemed oddly... intimate. He grinned at Scorpius, as they sat across from each other. _I love you, I love you, I love you_. The thought was getting louder and louder in his head.

“I am so excited, yet so anxious.” Scorpius grinned. “This is going to be an experience!”

Albus felt his heart flutter at his boyfriend's obvious excitement. They had only stumbled over this cafe a week before. Then, it had been full of small round tables at which one could actually sit and drink coffee. When Scorpius had seen a flyer promoting today's exercise, he'd immediately been incredibly excited and who was Albus to say no to a Scorpius whose nose crinkled slightly in genuine joy?

“Alright,” the young upbeat woman who'd greeted them said and clapped her hands. This time, she was addressing the whole room without a clipboard. “Welcome to today's exercise. Some of you have already done one or two of these-,” some people chuckled nervously at being called out, “and some of you are completely new. So let's get through the basics here. We know that the eyes are the mirror to the soul of a being. It is usually the first thing we notice when meeting a new person. But it is often hard to maintain eye-contact because it can be... intense. It can make you feel like you're naked in the worst possible way. Like you're baring your soul to every single person you meet – and you do, in a way. So to sum it up: The eyes are important. We usually shy away from looking into someone's eyes, distracting ourselves with talking or letting our gazes roam over the rest of that person or the room even. In this exercise, we want to become confident when looking into another human's eyes. We want to tell them hey, this is me, I am here and I am looking at you and you _don't have to be afraid_.” She paused for dramatic effect and Scorpius raised an amused eyebrow at Albus. “So if you all would please get in position and face your partner straight on. Look into their eyes. This exercise will last 10 minutes. You are supposed to look in your partner's eyes and only in their eyes. No letting your eyes wander. Let yourself fall into the depth of the other's eyes and you will discover things about yourself that you didn't think possible.”

She stopped, nodded and made a big show of getting a huge timer out. “The 10 minutes start... now.”

Albus' eyes snapped to Scorpius' and he immediately had to grin. Ten minutes of this? No problem. He took in the dark stormy grey that had mesmerised Albus from the moment the two had met. He noticed some darker and some lighter specks of grey around the irises and stared. How had he never looked into Scorpius' eyes this intently? From the corner of his eye, he could see Scorpius' soft smile. He didn't need to see it to know that Scorpius was smiling though, his eyes betrayed him either way. They were soft and open and warm and inviting and Albus felt like he was floating on air. He felt his mouth fall open as if he wanted to say something but he didn't know what.  
 _I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you._ The words seemed to get unbearably loud inside of his own head. It felt like a chant in his mind, perfectly timed with the light that reflected in Scorpius' eyes, making it seem like a violent storm. Yet there was nothing violent about Scorpius. It was the most fascinating thing Albus had ever seen.

* * *

They hadn't had a chance to talk because the minute Teddy had sat down in front of James, the host had explained the rules of their little experiment. Looking into each other’s eyes for ten minutes? James had almost spluttered in shock. What the hell did his brother think he was playing at? James had been just about to stand up and storm off but Teddy's slow smile had kept him in his seat.

When the girl had declared the experiment a go, James looked into Teddy's eyes and saw a bright green. Too bright to be real. Too perfectly even and too different to Teddy's usual eye colour to fool James.

“Teddy,” he murmured as they weren't supposed to talk, “I need to see the real ones.” 

“They are real.”

James balled his hand to a fist and relaxed it again. “Show me,” he repeated and Teddy sighed. Green morphed into purple, then into almost black until it settled on a dark blue. James smiled. This was the eye colour James had seen on Teddy on the few occasions Teddy had stayed over at their house in previous summers. It was the colour Teddy wore just after waking up. When Teddy was at his most self, at his most vulnerable. 

The dark blue was beautiful. There were even darker specks just around the irises and James couldn't help but let a grin spread over his face. He wondered what Teddy saw in his own eyes. He thought they were boring. Just hazel. No specks. No expression. He thought them dull. The intensity with which Teddy was gazing into them now however, made James think that maybe the other boy saw something there. Maybe he could see into James' soul. Maybe he was able to see all the love and adoration James had for him and he just hoped that it wouldn't make Teddy run away.

Without thinking about it, he leaned forward and placed his hand possessively on Teddy's knee. He wanted to keep him there. He wanted to do anything in his might to keep Teddy from running away. He couldn't stand to be without him much longer.

“Jamie,” Teddy whispered before covering his hand with his own and lacing their fingers together. James didn't take his eyes off Teddy's but he wanted to. Oh, how he wanted to look down and stare at their hands. He needed to see if it was real. Needed to know if he was dreaming.

“I...” Teddy started but was rudely interrupted by the workshop host who was standing right beside them at this point.

“No talking,” she reminded them happily before wandering off.

They needed to talk, James knew. He wanted them to talk. He couldn't wait until this whole thing was over. He bit his lip absentmindedly and saw Teddy's eyes widen at the gesture before a low groan escaped his mouth and he almost whimpered. “James, stop it.”

James grinned.

He hadn't known what to expect from Teddy after he came back from the Auror mission. He hadn't known if it would be awkward between them – he'd hoped not. But he never would have guessed that it would take ten minutes of looking into each other's eyes, interlaced fingers and a nervous lip-biting habit that would make Teddy lose his cool so spectacularly.

“Half a minute left, guys,” the host said back at her original spot at the counter.

Teddy mouthed the seconds along and James was just about to say something as soon as the host said “zero”, but he found himself unable.

Teddy had lunged forward and pressed their lips together in a soft kiss. 

James felt momentarily disoriented and everything he saw was turquoise all over his vision. When Teddy started moving his lips against his, his mind started to catch up. He sighed and closed his eyes, pressing back with an urgency he hadn't known he possessed. He wanted – needed – all of Teddy now. Their hands were still pressed together and James used his second hand to sneak up and let it run through Teddy's hair, keeping him in place. He was just about to open his mouth to deepen the kiss, bring Teddy closer, when he heard a chair fall backwards and crash on the floor.

* * *

Albus couldn't stop staring. Not when the exercise was still in full swing, not when everyone around him seemed to be counting down and not even when the girl at the counter had declared the workshop over. He could not look away from Scorpius' eyes. Everything around him seemed to have dulled. His vision was restricted to two bulbs of grey. His ears only heard what they wanted to hear: Scorpius' breath. Everything else seemed so far away. He had no idea what Scorpius saw in him but his expression was soft, kind. He laced their fingers together and whispered his name, trying to make him snap out of the trance he had fallen into.

Finally, Albus' senses came rushing back. Suddenly everything seemed too loud and too bright. The chanting voice in his head unbearably loud and it was then, that he jumped up. The chair he was sitting on toppled over and fell to the floor with a loud crash. Albus still couldn't take his eyes off Scorpius, still held his hand tightly, before he all but shouted:

“I love you. I love you so much, Scorpius. Please move in with me!”

And then, there was deafening silence.

* * *

James stared at his little brother's outburst in absolute shock. Albus shook slightly and looked like he would faint any second but there he was, being braver than James would ever give him credit for. James shared a wide-eyed look with Teddy, their faces still so, so close, before James' gaze fell on Scorpius who seemed petrified.

The whole room seemed to hold their breath until finally, Scorpius got up from his chair and smiled at Albus adoringly.

“I love you, too. So much. Yes, yes of course I will,” he almost whispered. The contrast was so strong to Albus' loud declaration but James could hear it just as clear. Probably because everything around them seemed to have come to a standstill. Scorpius cupped Albus's cheek and caressed his cheekbone with his thumb.“Of course I will,” he repeated and the smile that spread over their faces seemed so pure, so genuine that James had to look away. His eyes landed straight on Teddy's again, who tugged at his hand. 

“Can we talk?”

James nodded. Together, they made their way out of the cafe and down the street in complete silence. They were still holding hands when Teddy stopped them at a busy street corner.

He ran his hand through his hair agitatedly and sighed.

“James, look, I... I am so sorry-”

“Don't.”

Teddy looked up, confusion written all over his face and James took that as his cue to talk.

“I... You... What you said before you left. Was that... who was that boy you were talking about?”  
Teddy looked at him blankly but James wouldn't let it go so easily. He hadn't had anything to do but memorise the things Teddy had said for the past three days after all.

“You said...” James sighed and tried again, “You said 'sometimes it takes someone to shout at you before you can admit that you do love the boy who' and then... then you had to leave.”

Teddy smiled at him softly.

“Well, who do you think?”

James stomped his foot down, not caring how much it made him look like a three-year old. He was frustrated. And so, so in love.

“I would like to think it's me,” he said and tugged at his hair just so he had something to do. “But the way you said it made me think that I was just the someone to shout? And then you kissed me? And I am so bloody confused, Ted. Truth is... truth is that...” He thought back to his brother, who'd just made a right spectacle out of himself which was so extraordinarily out of character for one Albus Severus Potter that James supposed that he should find the same kind of courage in himself.

“Truth is that I am in love with you. Have been for the longest time. I love you,” he finished lamely and directed his gaze to the ground, ears burning. When the hell had he become a blushing mess?

He bit his lip again nervously as he waited for Teddy to say something. Anything. Suddenly, he felt a hand grab his chin softly and his head was tilted up so that he was looking straight into Teddy's eyes. Teddy's gaze was fixed to James' lips and he growled: “I thought I told you to stop doing that, Jamie. You're honestly testing my self-control.”

Experimentally, James let his front teeth worry his bottom lip again and was rewarded by Teddy pressing their lips together once more. The kiss was more insistent and messier than the one at the cafe had been, and James was only vaguely aware of their surroundings. It took a passer-by shouting “Get a room!” before the two of them parted.

Teddy was looking at him, panting, lips red and swollen from the kiss, and James honestly couldn't believe that he had done that.

“The boy who always has been and always will be a giant pain in your arse,” Teddy mumbled.

“Huh?”

Teddy grinned. “That's how that sentence ends. 'Before you can admit that you do love the boy who always has been and always will be a giant pain in your arse'. Now don't even try not to pretend that that's not you because may I remind you of the time you hexed-”

But Teddy didn't get any further with his explanation because James had jumped him again, pressing their lips together in soft kisses over and over and over again. His arms slid around Teddy's neck and he relished the feeling of Teddy's soft hair between his fingers. When he finally stopped kissing Teddy, he stayed so close that their lips where still touching, reeling in the feeling of being so, so close to the man he loved. He rubbed his nose against Teddy's in complete contentment.

He didn't care if he was being cheesy or sappy. He was happy. He was so happy in fact, he didn't know if he had previously even known what happiness felt like at all.

* * *

Albus was busy tracing circles onto Scorpius' hand, before he felt another presence at his elbow.

“Well,” he heard his dad's voice and froze. He had completely forgotten that they were there. All of them. His dad, his brother, his godbrother and Scorpius' dad. He had made right a scene in front of all of them.

He slowly turned and looked into Harry's and Draco's amused faces.

“That was certainly something.” Draco smirked.

Harry nodded and repeated: “Something...” As if that was all he was able to say about the whole thing.

“Oh god,” Albus mumbled and immediately went to hide his face in Scorpius' neck, which made his boyfriend laugh.

“Well. Something, yes. That's uh, an accurate description.” Scorpius grinned.

“Does this mean there will be a trip to IKEA?” Harry asked quietly, and Albus' head shot up. Scorpius and Draco looked at the two of them confusedly.

“IKEA!” Albus almost shouted before laughing loudly.

It was no secret that the Potter family loved going to IKEA. It had mainly started with Harry renovating Grimmauld place after the war and had carried on into his family life. He just liked the feeling of starting a new life. And what said 'new life' more than new furniture? Especially when it came unassembled and putting together a shelf could test your will to live.

“IKEA?” Draco asked and exchanged a look with his son.

Harry nodded enthusiastically. “If the boys allow us to come.”

“Well... uh, I don't think I can pay for... IKEA,” Albus grinned sheepishly and pulling at Scorpius' hand so that he could sneak an arm around his waist to hold him even closer.

Harry laughed loudly before turning back to Draco. “It's a Muggle furniture store. You come along, it's lovely!”

“They have great food,” Albus piped in happily.

“Food,” Scorpius said slowly and shot his dad an alarmed look. “At a furniture store.”

The Potters nodded.

“We'll show you,” Harry promised with a sparkle in his eye.

That was when the door to the cafe opened and Teddy and James strolled in hand in hand, whispering to each other like teenagers.

Albus' face immediately softened at the display.

“I'm so happy,” he whispered silently enough so that only Scorpius could hear him. When he looked at his boyfriend, he saw the same content expression directed back at him.

James stopped right in front of them and regarded the two of them with a smile.

“ _I love you_ and moving in together all in one day? Way to go, Al.” He grinned.

“Says the boy who's finally holding Ted's hand,” Al muttered, eyes squinting but smiling so that James knew that he was only teasing.

“Big day for both of us, then,” James said with a smile, pulling Albus into a hug. Albus clapped James on the shoulder playfully before his gaze landed on their dad and Draco. He studied them critically but they didn't seem any closer than they had been before coming to the store. He turned to James:

“Mission D4D still on, then?” he whispered so that only his brother could hear.

James shot the two men a calculating look before nodding.

“Next D4D Mission is _so_ on.”


	5. Chapter 4

When James slowly woke up and the events of the previous day started coming back to him, he smiled involuntarily and snuggled closer into his pillow before noticing that his hair was being stroked softly. With a jolt, James sat upright and looked around him, only to find that Teddy was still there. Was still in his bed. Looking soft and sleep-rumpled and perfect. And he'd let James use him as a pillow. And he had stroked James' hair before he'd so rudely pulled away. Why had he done that again? 

He grinned down at Teddy before resuming the position he'd found himself in. He snuggled his head under Teddy's chin and placed his hand on the toned chest underneath him, caressing it.  
Teddy's hand found its way back into James' hair and continued to stroke it and James couldn't help but make a contented sound that suspiciously sounded like a groan. Teddy huffed in obvious amusement.

“I never would have thought James Potter would be this domestic,” he said, and James could practically feel his own mouth turning up at the corners.

“He only is when he's found the right person to be domestic with.”

Teddy let out a bark of laughter.

“Are you referring to yourself in the third person, now?” he asked, still stroking.

James pushed back into the caressing hand and looked up at Teddy, still a little sleepy-eyed.

“It's your influence,” he whispered before directing his gaze at Teddy's still smiling lips.

“Good morning,” Teddy whispered back before giving him a quick peck on the mouth. James felt contentment and happiness surge through him and he leaned up to press their noses together in an imitation of their encounter the day before.

Teddy laughed again.

“What?” James wanted to know, a small part of him scared that he'd done something wrong. Now that he had this, had Teddy, he wasn't prepared to give it up.

“Nothing,” Teddy murmured and pressed a kiss on top of James' head.

“I just can't believe how adorable you are in the morning.” He kissed James' temple, then his cheek, then his mouth again before letting himself fall back into the pillows once more, never once stopping the movement of stroking James' hair.

“What does that mean, I am always adorable,” James insisted. 

“You're usually a rather cocky and fierce idiot who acts before he thinks,” Teddy answered, alarmingly serious.

James froze.

Did that mean? What did that mean?

“But you love me anyway?” he asked, fully aware that his voice started to tremble.

Another kiss on top of his head.

“I love you because of it. Because that's who you are.”

James sighed.

“Is this...” he didn't quite know how to ask whether or not Teddy would rather not cuddle because honestly, James didn't quite know if he could cope if Teddy stood up and left right now. 

Teddy's hand stilled on top of James' head and pulled him closer into his arm. Closer into the crook of his neck.

“This is perfect, Jamie. You are perfect. Don't get insecure on me now, Potter.”

James blushed and tried hiding his face even further. He was just about to reply, when the door to his room opened with a bang.

* * *

“Sorry.” Albus grimaced apologetically as the door banged open much louder than he'd anticipated. He stopped for a second and took in the scene before him before snorting loudly. “I hope this is officially the end of you telling me that Scorp and I are disgusting when cuddling,” he said and walked into the room, sitting down on the edge of the bed while James seemed still in shock.

Teddy just smiled at him knowingly.

James seemed to find his voice again and sat up straight.

“Out,” he almost shouted at his brother and pointed at the door, but Albus stayed put, grinning.

“Oh, come on, James. I'm just here to wish my favourite brother and favourite godbrother well.” Albus saw something dark flicker over Teddy's face and immediately backtracked. “I just wanted to know when the course will start.”

James was glaring at Albus, obviously grinding his teeth. “At 3pm. Now leave.”

Albus nodded and started playing with the string on his hoodie.

He knew when it was better to leave his brother alone and boy, did he look mad. Albus supposed that it was a fitting punishment for all the times that he had burst in on him and Scorpius being comfortable with each other and then taken the piss out of them.

Very fitting indeed.

Albus almost skipped back to his own room, remembering what – or better who – he had left there.

“He says it's at three,” he announced closing the door behind him.

Scorpius was sitting in Albus' bed, propped up against the headboard and reading a book. He was wearing one of Albus' favourite, most comfortable hoodies and Albus was quite sure that he would never tire of seeing his boyfriend in his clothes. He let himself fall onto the mattress next to Scorpius, who had yet to react to what Albus had just said.

“Scorp?”

“Three, got it.”

Albus smiled as he watched Scorpius read the words and silently mouthing them along. He settled underneath the blanket, pulled the hood over his own head for maximum comfort and contented himself with just watching his boyfriend. His boyfriend who loved him back. His boyfriend who loved him back and was going to move in with him.

He was so occupied with his train of thought, that he almost missed Scorpius marking his place in his book and putting it on the bedside table before sinking down in bed so he was at eye level with Albus. He too pulled his hood on his head and placed his head so close to Albus' that their noses were touching before reaching over and grabbing hold of his hand.

“So, how was the visit to your brother's room.”

Albus snorted but started to grin. “Absolutely disgusting. They are super adorable. Don't tell them I said that, though.”

Scorpius smiled. “Wouldn't dream of it.”

Albus let his thumb trace lazy circles on the back of Scorpius' hand and frowned.

“But uh, I still really want to know what you said to Teddy. According to James, he was very adamant on being too old for him and uh, his godbrother.” He thought back over the shadow that appeared on Teddy's face when Albus had called him that.

Scorpius shrugged and let his nose nudge against Albus' a couple of times.

“I just told him about how I wished I would have gotten my shit together sooner. We could have been doing this for at least the past two years and not only the past couple months. And that's all due to us pretending we didn’t have these feelings because we didn't want to ruin the friendship. I told him that sometimes you just needed to be a Gryffindor about...stuff. And I reminded him that if it worked out between them, nobody would be anything but happy about it, least of all your dad. Because he loves all three of you so much, he couldn't be against those two being happy together. And he is not related to you by blood. Now if he would have wanted to shag me, that would have been a whole different story, and then he laughed and said that I was right. And I actually think that he wanted to talk to Harry about it. I suppose he has because when he kissed James at the cafe, he must've been aware of Harry being there...”

Albus was silent, not quite knowing what to say to that.

“Albus?” Scorpius looked at him, insecurity plain on his face.

“I didn't do anything wrong, did I?”

Albus closed his eyes for a moment and let his arms slip around Scorpius' upper body, pulling him closer.

“You're perfect,” he said softly against Scorpius lips before kissing him.

He could feel Scorpius' smile against his mouth and thought that there were two happy couples in the house now. High time to make that number three.

* * *

James was really looking forward to this one. Of all the D4D activities they had thought up, this was probably his favourite.

His mum had been the one to introduce the whole family to pottery. Naturally, they were all horrible at it but kept doing it for fun.

He'd gone to a pottery course with his mum when he was around 9 years old and he'd made a cat figurine. He still had no idea how. But it still sat on his windowsill, looking adorable and also maybe a little wonky. 

Still, he felt a happy thrum in his fingertips when he'd booked the day-course at the studio and couldn't wait to start.

Upon arriving in the workroom, James, Albus and Harry immediately sat down at their potter's wheels, excitedly checking out the different tools each workstation had been equipped with. It wasn't a very big workshop but it was just as homey and magical as James remembered it. The walls were lined with shelves of different types of clay and finished pottery sculptures. On the one side of the room, there were eight workstations which consisted of a table, a potter's wheel, several tools and a bowl of water. Two of the workstations were already occupied by a couple in their fifties, whispering excitedly to each other while admiring the decorations around them.

When James slowly rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, he saw his brother and father do the same from the corner of his eye. He looked up, trying to beckon Teddy over but stopped in his tracks.  
Teddy was staring at him, a hungry look darkening his blue eyes.

James blushed and was just about to say something, when he caught a glance at Scorpius and his father who had... the same look in their eyes. James looked over and saw Albus already having his hands full of clay. His dad faired a bit better but he'd somehow already managed to bump over the bowl of water and was trying to dry his now slightly see -through shirt with his wand. James looked at Mr. Malfoy again, who had his eyes firmly fixed on his dad's form, which made him grimace.

“Gross,” he muttered under his breath. At least he now knew that Malfoy most definitely did fancy his dad.

James looked back at Teddy and pointed at the workstation next to him. Just in time, too, because in that moment a short, friendly looking witch entered the workroom and James was immediately reminded of Professor Sprout what with the way the witch beamed at them.

“Welcome, welcome,” she announced happily in a squeaky, high voice. “In this course, we will cover the very basics of magical pottery and create a bowl.”

James smiled at Teddy, anticipation running through his whole body, making him feel on high alert.

The witch sat down at her own workstation in the middle of the room, and smiled at her students in turn.

“Now, everyone grab some clay.” She swished her wand and a generous amount of clay appeared on the wheels in front of them.

James immediately started kneading his between his hands. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Teddy hadn't even touched his yet so he turned and found Teddy looking at the clay in James' hands with the same hungry look he'd had before. James grinned and continued his movements. He let the clay form an oval before gently rubbing his thumb over the middle, creating a dent, without ever taking his eyes off Teddy. He tried making it look like a bum and only knew that he had succeeded, when Teddy gasped and blushed a violent read before muttering:

“Where is the adorable boy from this morning gone who couldn't stop nuzzling my nose?”

James just winked at him. “Get you a boy who can do both, eh Ted?”

Teddy sighed before laughing shortly. “Yeah, get you a boy who can do both,” he agreed.

* * *

“Now remember. We want to centre our clay on the wheel. Hold your wand above it and move it in a twirling motion to make the wheel start spinning,” the witch said solemnly and demonstrated the motion.

Albus centred his clay and wetted it as to make it smoother and easier to mould. He took a side-glance at Scorpius, who somehow looked rather dishevelled by just trying to put the clay in the middle.

“It's won't stay,” he muttered underneath his breath, and Albus was just about to reach over to help, when he heard a loud laughing sound from his left. He turned and looked at his dad who seemed to be getting redder by the second and then at Mr. Malfoy who was positively howling. Albus couldn't help but grin at the display. He didn't actually think that he'd ever seen Draco laugh before and certainly not this freely, with his head thrown back in utter amusement.

“What's up?” he asked and took turns looking between the two of them. Draco just kept giggling and couldn't get a word out and Harry was now sporting a wide grin of his own and pointed at one of the pottery pieces on the mantle. It showed a large plate with an otter drawn onto it. An otter with a scar in the form of a lighting bolt on his forehead and round glasses, to be exact. Underneath, in elegant script, it said: 'Potterly Amazing'.

For a second, Albus just stared at the plate completely bewildered. Who would even do something like that? But then Scorpius started laughing as well and he had to admit defeat and join in.

Albus glanced at their workshop leader but she seemed too concentrated on her own bowl to have noticed them.

“What is this fuckery?” James asked from Scorpius' other side and Albus just shook his head.

“You mean 'What is this pottery',” Scorpius grinned which earned him a round of groaning laughter.

“That was a horrible pun, son,” Draco chided from his seat, his clay almost completely untouched.

Albus nodded vehemently. “Atrocious.”

“Hey,” Harry piped up, trying to look offended but unable to keep the huge smile off his face. Albus liked when his dad smiled. It made him worry less about him.

“Are you lot saying I am not 'Potterly Amazing'?” he asked and looked at everyone in turn.

Draco nodded solemnly, only just holding his laughter in. “No, no, quite right, you certainly are. Potter, would you mind helping me with this wheel? I cannot seem to start it. Potter me confused.” He smiled at his son before looking back at Harry. “Oh, pardon, colour me confused of course.”

Harry squinted his eyes at Draco before laughing. “You lot will have to take pun-lessons from us I reckon.”

Albus watched delightedly as Harry moved over to look at Draco's work.

“See, Malfoy, you're doing it all wrong. This is a potter's wheel. It works like a fortune wheel only with a potter's wheel, you always win.”

Just as soon as the words hit Albus' ears, he started choking on his own spit. Did his dad just?

He turned to Scorpius who looked at him with a triumphant grin.

“That had to be the most horrible pick-up line in the whole world,” Scorpius tried to whisper silently but it came out like an excited squeak.

Albus grinned and nodded his agreement.

“But a pick-up line nevertheless!”

Albus quickly turned around to see the scene play out and noticed with satisfaction, that Draco was blushing furiously while Harry tried to explain the basic hand movements of making a bowl to him.

“Now, you wet your fingers first before pressing in at the top slowly, so that the clay can adjust to the intrusion. You push in further as the clay... relaxes and then you can start pumping in and out to widen the walls around your finger...”

Albus quickly decided against listening in and tried desperately to concern himself with literally anything else just as James spoke up loudly from the other side of the room:

“Dad, can you please tell Mr. Malfoy how sex works in private? You're in public for Merlin's sake! Your children are here!”

* * *

All in all, James was not very surprised when they were kicked out of the pottery course because they were suddenly considered an intrusion.

He had expected that much sooner, if he was being honest. For example when he had disregarded his pottery project completely in favour of jumping onto Teddy's lap to snog the living daylights out of him. He felt he was in the right on that one. How could anyone expect him to be able to keep his hands off the man, when he was only just granted the permission to touch him whenever he liked?

They staggered out of the small workshop and James couldn't help but laugh loudly at that. To his surprise, Mr. Malfoy was the next to join in.

“Do you think she'll get rid of the 'Potterly Amazing' piece now that she's cross with us?” he asked, which made the rest of their group join in.

When their laughter had died down, Harry sighed. “Oh, I hope she does.”

“You think I could buy it off her?” Draco smirked, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

Albus groaned. “Please don't. I don't ever want to look at that thing again.”

Draco arched an eyebrow. “Who says you'll have to?”

Albus looked unsure for a moment. “Are we no longer invited for dinner when we move out?” he asked fearfully and grabbed Scorpius' hand tightly.

Something in Draco's expression changed and became unbearably vulnerable. “You want to come to dinner even though you're going to move out?” Draco asked, fixing Albus with a questioning look. “It will not interfere with your lives? Or be a chore?”

Albus immediately shook his head furiously. “No, of course not. Of course we want to come to dinner, don't we Scorp?”

James couldn't help but suck in a breath as he watched Albus look at Scorpius for confirmation only to find the same vulnerability in his expression his father wore. James had the overwhelming feeling that he was intruding on a very private, very important moment, even though his brother was currently the one talking.

“I'd like that,” Draco said suddenly and a small smile appeared on his face. “I'd like that a lot,” he repeated before throwing his hands around Albus' shoulders and immediately freezing. He was just about to move away, when Albus let go of Scorpius' hand to wrap his arms around Draco.

“I'd like that, too,” he said, and it seemed to be the exact right thing to say because Draco relaxed again.

James let his gaze drift over to his dad and was surprised to see Harry look at the scene with an expression that James hadn't seen in a long, long time. The last time must've been when Ginny had held Lily just after bringing her home from hospital. It was the look of total adoration and bliss. James swallowed hard and felt Teddy's hand wrap around his for extra comfort. He felt like he needed it.

He let his eyes roam over their unlikely group. His father, his brother, Teddy Lupin and two Malfoys. And with a start he realised that this was the family he longed to have.

Albus and Draco parted just before Scorpius tackled Albus almost to the ground.

“I love you,” Scorpius mumbled, “so much.”

James laughed. “Okay guys, as cute as this is, it's getting weird to be standing in front of the shop like this. Anyone have an idea what we could do?”

Draco met his gaze and nodded. “How about everyone comes to the Manor for tea? I'm sure Bitsy will be happy to provide us with cake, too.”

* * *

True enough, the Malfoy house-elf was more than excited to have so many guests and kept squealing in glee.

“It has been so long since Master Malfoy and his son had so many guests, Bitsy is much pleased,” she exclaimed to Albus when she brought more cake.

“Bitsy was afraid that Master Malfoy was lonely,” she stage-whispered to him but it was clearly loud enough for the whole table to hear.

“Great cake,” James said as the silence went on a little too long.

“My favourite,” Teddy joined in, nodding and smiling at the old elf.

* * *

Despite having had an amazing afternoon, Albus was glad when it was over. He stood in front of Scorpius at the gates of Malfoy Manor and smiled.

“This was a good day,” he said.

Scorpius had decided that it would be better for him to stay with his dad for the evening. In case he wanted to talk. Albus and Scorpius both had snorted at the idea but Albus thought that Scorpius was right. Soon, they would live together and then he would see Scorpius in his bed every morning just like he had that morning.

He couldn't wait.

He kissed him goodbye and tugged at the Hoodie strings softly. “You keep stealing my clothes,” he said accusingly but couldn't stop smiling.

Scorpius nodded. “They're comfortable and they smell like you.”

He blushed, obviously embarrassed at his own admission.

Albus nuzzled Scorpius' neck. “Are we still on for IKEA tomorrow?” he asked, softly peppering the exposed skin with kisses.

Scorpius shuddered before pulling Albus's head up so they were at eye level. “So on,” he mumbled breathlessly before kissing Albus. He tried pulling away but Albus kept dragging him back in.

When they finally did part, Albus was happy to note that Scorpius looked positively dazed.

“Tomorrow,” he nodded and smiled.

“I think if today wasn't enough to keep D4D rolling, tomorrow definitely will be. Dad gets weirdly domestic at IKEA,” he said. _Which is why we haven't gone back ever since mum left him_ , he thought. 

He apparated back to the Potter house and plomped down next to his dad on the sofa.

The two grinned at each other.

“Where are Teddy and James?”

Harry laughed and let his gaze drift upwards for a second.

“Where do you think?”

Albus nodded, understanding.

“How do you feel about that, then?”

Harry grabbed a grape from the fruit bowl they kept in the middle of their living room table and chewed on it slowly.

“James and Teddy?”

Albus nodded.

Harry shrugged.

“You lot think I'm stupid, don't you? I saw this coming a long time ago. I felt about it then as I feel about it now: As long as my boys are happy – and that includes Teddy – I am happy. And they're good for each other. Teddy grounds James a bit. Makes him a bit more... quiet.”

Albus mulled it over and nodded in understanding. “I suppose he does. I saw them snuggling this morning, I am quite disturbed still.”

Harry chuckled. “You and Scorpius are quite the cuddly pair as well, I may remind you.”

“Yeah,” Albus exclaimed. “But look at Scorpius. The boy radiates cuddling vibes.”

Harry smiled at his son. “I am beyond happy for the both of you.”

Albus thought for a moment and then made a decision. “Now we only have to find someone for you.”

Harry stilled his movements from where he was about to pluck more grapes from the bowl.

“I'm happy,” he said slowly.

“You're alone,” Albus countered.

Harry looked at him then and sat back on the sofa, facing Albus. “I'm content as long as you boys and Lily are in my life. That's all I want.”

“We just want you to have someone to cuddle with,” Albus said and wanted to hit himself because he sounded like a thirteen year old girl.

“Ah.” Harry chuckled. “Someday, maybe.”

Albus nodded and mumbled: “Someday, maybe,” before they fell into companionable silence.

* * *

James could feel Teddy's enquiring glances on him as they sat on James' bed together, leaning against the headboard.

“What is it, Jamie?” he finally asked, and James just sighed.

“I don't know... I feel weird.”

“Weird how?”

James shrugged.

“I had the sudden realisation that I love everyone in this family to bits. And that that includes you and Scorpius and I just... I just felt like I really want to invite Mr. Malfoy to be part of his family, too.”

Teddy smiled and put his arm around James' shoulders, pulling him closer.

“You let what the elf said get to you.”

James nodded. “Just because... dad is pretty lonely, too. He tries not to say but... it's obvious. And it's obvious Mr. Malfoy is... alone, too and that just makes me sad.”

Teddy nodded and let his hand glide up and down James' spine in a soothing motion. “I understand.”

He suddenly stopped his movements and groaned.

James looked at him in alarm. “What?”

“I just remembered the way you kneaded the bloody clay between your hands.”

James grinned. “Liked that, did you?”

Teddy started muttering inaudibly, which only made James grin even wider.

“You did like that. Want me to knead you between my hands, too?” he dropped his voice an octave and tried to sound seductive.

Teddy facepalmed, but when James tried to come even closer and started making a move for Teddy's backside, he shoved him off, laughing.

“Sorry Jamie, I am certainly not engaging in any sort of... _this_... while there are other people in the house.”

James sat back pouting but smiling nevertheless. He wondered when he would get over the fact that Teddy would engage in sorts of _this_ with him. That knowledge made him the happiest boy in the world – at least that's how he felt.

“Especially not my boyfriend's dad right downstairs...”

That had James sitting up.

“Your... boyfriend?”

Teddy blinked at him before sitting up, too. “Uh, yeah. I thought...?” he trailed off.

James nodded enthusiastically, the smile that broke out over his face already hurting his cheeks from trying to get even bigger.

“Yes, I just... I like you saying it.”

“Boyfriend,” Teddy said again, the nervousness slowly draining from his face.

James quickly kissed him on the lips.

“Say it again,” he mumbled before trailing kisses down Teddy's check, over his jaw and to his neck.

“Boyfriend,” Teddy whispered a little unsteadily.

“Again.”

“Boyfriend,” Teddy repeated when James had reached his collar bone and pressed his lips to every bit of skin in sight.

“Jamie,” Teddy whinged, pulling James up again.

“I mean it. Not with your dad and brother here.”

“But you'll still kiss your boyfriend, right?”

Teddy nodded and leaned forward, only pausing shortly to say:

“I'll always kiss my boyfriend,” he said before doing just that.


	6. Chapter 5

The journey to IKEA was an exhausting one, if Albus was being honest. Not because it took so long – they only drove for about an hour – but it was extremely cramped in their mini-van, despite it having nine seats. Harry had thought that it would be a good idea to buy it once upon a time. He'd felt like he should have one of them as a respectable father. James had protested that usually dads got cars like that when their children were small, not when their youngest was fifteen, but Harry had just chuckled and waved him off.

Now, the six of them were seated in the van and Albus could only smirk at Scorpius and Draco, as their pure-blood heritage was showing. Scorpius was digging his fingers into Albus' arms as they made their way through bumpy roads and traffic, eyes wide with fear but also wonder as he watched the outside world go by.

Draco was doing the complete opposite. He was sitting shotgun next to Harry, and Albus wasn't quite sure if Harry was unaware of the rigid way Draco held on to the handle above his window or if he was trying to soothe the man by telling him story after story about past IKEA adventures. Either way, Albus didn't think it would help.

He almost let out a squeal of delight, when they turned into the IKEA parking lot and came to a stop.

He turned around to Teddy and James, who were sitting in the row behind them and grinned at his brother. The two of them had been quiet during their car ride, surely too immersed in each other to give anything else much thought, Albus supposed.

“Last one through the doors is a slow slug!” he declared happily, yanking the car door open and racing to the entrance.

“I'll get you, Albus!” he heard James shout after him.

He felt like a ten year old again and marvelled in the feeling. He quickly made his way to one of the electrically spinning doors and pushed inside one of the compartments just before James could reach him. Through the glass doors, he grinned at his brother in victory before James held up two fingers in response.

* * *

James hated losing to Albus, even if it was only a stupid game like getting to the entrance first. He was a professional Quidditch player, for fuck’s sake. He was fit. He was athletic. But no, his baby brother had beaten him to it.

He huffed and turned around to wait for the rest of their group. Teddy walked towards him, head shaking, but smiling.

“You two and your rivalry,” he muttered when he finally reached James and pressed his lips to his temple in a quick kiss.

Scorpius was catching up to them and stared at the doors.

“What's up, Scorp?” James asked, “you look a little pale.”

Scorpius looked at him wide-eyed and confused before pointing at the car and then at the door.

“These Muggles. They... how... amazing,” he got out and Teddy started chuckling.

“Yes, they come up with quite the inventions. Now, want to go in?”

Scorpius stared at the door and swallowed audibly before looking at Teddy. “Will it hurt?”

Teddy shook his head, placed his hand on Scorpius' back and pushed him slowly forward.

“See, you just have to wait until there is space enough for you to fit in and-” He stepped forward inside of the moving doors, pulling Scorpius with him.

James couldn't make out the rest of the conversation but he couldn't help but smile fondly at both of them.

He buried his hands in his trouser pockets as he waited for his dad and Mr. Malfoy to arrive. What was taking them so long?

He slowly took off towards the car again and saw Malfoy leaning heavily on Harry's shoulders, who tried to move them forward by himself. Mr. Malfoy looked even worse than Scorpius had.

“You okay?” James asked and jogged towards them, offering his own shoulder for additional support.

Mr. Malfoy nodded weekly.

“I have never travelled by this... this way of... transportation... before.”

Harry laughed. “You know what the first time travelling by Floo felt to me, then.”

When they finally reached the door, Mr. Malfoy was in much higher spirits, enjoying the fresh air of the London suburb they found themselves in.

Until he set eyes on the moving door, that was.

If the expression of sheer panic on the man's face wasn't so genuine, James probably would have broken down in a fit of giggles at the look.

“I cannot go in there,” Mr. Malfoy declared. “That is clearly a deathtrap.”

Harry rolled his eyes good naturedly and grinned. “Don't be such an overly dramatic git. It's not a death trap, it's an electric door. Completely harmless. James, why don't you go inside and show Draco that there is nothing to worry about?”

James did as he told and easily slid into the store. Inside, Albus, Scorpius and Teddy were waiting for them, grinning amusedly.

“He's worse than I was,” Scorpius said happily as the four of them watched Harry and Mr. Malfoy argue and watch the door and argue some more.

“Do you think he'll get him to go in?” Albus asked pensively and cocked his head to the side.

They were lucky that the door almost seemed deserted at this time of day. No Muggles in sight or they would probably have had a very hard time explaining the over-anxious behaviour a grown man had of a spinning door.

Just as James was thinking it, a widely grinning lady made her way towards his dad and Mr. Malfoy. She was wearing a bright yellow dress and a perm and had to be well into her fifties, judging by her whole appearance, colourful it may be. She patted an absolutely mortified Draco on his arm before coming towards the door and stepping inside. She looked at the four boys and laughed.

“Nothing but a little anxiety. It's quite normal you know. I once had a girlfriend who was afraid of buttons,” she mock whispered the last part in Teddy's direction, who tried his best to smile at her. When she turned the corner, Scorpius started to giggle.

“Ah, Muggles,” he said fondly and smiled brightly at Albus before intertwining their hands. James itched to do the same with Teddy and only hesitated for a second before remembering that he was his boyfriend and that he was actually allowed to do that. He squeezed Teddy's hand, who smiled at him brightly, before both of them directed their gaze back to the spectacle outside.

Harry seemed to be getting more and more agitated and suddenly just grasped Draco's hand.

“Aww,” Albus uttered and smiled as he saw Mr. Malfoy staggering after their dad, towards the door.

“Just hold on to me, I promise nothing will happen,” they could make out despite Harry's voice being muffled by the door.

Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's shoulder and pressed his face in the crook of his neck, as if he was afraid to even look at what they were doing.

The image was so domestic that James couldn't help but raise his eyebrows at his brother.

Albus smirked back, looking self-satisfied.

“Told you,” he mouthed so that neither their father nor Draco could hear it.

Soon, they were both in and Mr. Malfoy immediately disentangled himself from Harry, who just sighed and ran an exasperated hand through his hair.

“Alright then,” he grinned at the four boys in front of him. “Shall we go then?”

* * *

“Welcome to IKEA,” Albus said and stretched his arms out at the entrance to the shop floor. There were Muggles bustling about everywhere, chatting with each other or the sales clerks and trying out everything in sight.

“First order of business,” he continued importantly and walked over to where the free pencils and measuring tapes were hanging. He grabbed one of each and handed them to Scorpius, who looked at him with a bewildered expression.

“What?”

Albus grinned.

“This, Scorp, is the first thing to do at IKEA regardless of whether you'll actually need to write something down or measure something or not. Always take the pencil and tape. Always.”

Scorpius snorted and slightly shook his head before hanging the tape around his neck like a scarf.

“I'm not going to question you, oh IKEA god.” He grinned.

“Wise choice.” Albus sniffed haughtily before handing out pencils and measuring tapes to the rest of the group.

Harry was busy explaining the IKEA system to Draco when Albus saw his chance for a secret meeting with the rest of the group. He looked around himself and spotted a model of a bedroom. He signalled James to meet him there before taking Scorpius' hand and excitedly pulled him to the model. “Come on Scorp, let's have a look at this very exciting bedroom.”

Scorpius grimaced. “I'm not sure I'm comfortable with you being so excited about furniture that looks like it could belong to my grandmother.”

Albus grinned and only schooled his features into a serious expression.

“Okay gang, team meeting,” he started, throwing one glance back at his dad and Draco before continuing in a whisper.

“Mission D4D for today is simple: make them feel as domestic with each other as they possibly can. We have all seen the door-incident. I want more of that. Are we clear?”

James piped up and saluted his brother: “Sir, yes, sir.”

Albus grinned. “Fab. Now GO!”

They scuttled out of the room and pretended to look at different things in different model rooms, when their dads came over.

Harry smiled easily at them. “So? Something catch your fancy yet?”

Albus shook his head. “No. Not yet. I think we'll have to venture further into the store.”

Harry nodded and let them lead the way. Albus could hear Draco ask: “How big is this store, anyway?” from behind him.

* * *

“Don't forget boys, we're just looking for fun. There is no need to measure things, Scorpius, before you two have a flat.”

James grinned at Harry running after Scorpius who seemed to have made it his mission to measure every piece of furniture in the store and compare it to the official measurements on the info-cards.

If he had known that taking a couple of pure-bloods to IKEA would be this much fun, he'd have suggested it ages ago.

“What are you smirking about?” Teddy appeared right next to him and looked at him with an amused expression. James shrugged.

“I just like being here, is all.”

Teddy watched Albus drag his boyfriend from bed to bed to try them all out. Harry was running after them frantically and Draco looked as terrified as if he was eleven again and wandering into the Forbidden Forest for the first time. Eyes wide and trying to comprehend his surroundings.

“It's chaotic,” Teddy stated with a grin.

“Yeah,” James agreed and looked over at his boyfriend. “I kinda love it.”

A loud squeal sounded from James' left and he whirled around to watch Scorpius jump up and down in front of a huge bookcase with different compartments.

Slowly, James and Teddy walked over to where Scorpius and Albus were examining the piece while Harry was trying to keep them calm and Mr. Malfoy studied the price tag.

“Look at it Albus, it is so big! I could fit all my books in there!”

Albus smiled at his boyfriend's obvious happiness. “I'll buy you five of those, babe,” he exclaimed, not taking his eyes off Scorpius, who examined every compartment muttering to himself:

“I could fit my crime novels up there. And maybe the Romance novels can have their own shelf... and oh school books and textbooks... they are slightly bigger than novels but they could fit in here perfectly...”

James turned to Teddy with a pout. “Will you buy me five bookcases, too, _babe_?”

He said it mockingly but he found that the thought of Teddy and him getting some furniture together made his heart flutter nevertheless. It was too early to think about that, he reminded himself. His brain also supplied that he'd known Teddy for all his life and it wasn't as if he didn't know that he'd be with him forever but it was early days as a couple. That was certainly not how things usually progressed.

Teddy snorted. “You couldn't even fill half a bookcase.”

“Could, too!”

“Yeah?” Teddy smirked, “what was the last book you've read – and by that I mean an actual book, not a book for Hogwarts or training.”

James thought about it for a second before his expression darkened.

“Prat,” he mumbled and turned back around.

Mr. Malfoy was busy reading the price tag, looking as confused as ever.

“Potter,” he started and James almost squealed in glee when he saw Mr. Malfoy tug gently on Harry's shirt to get his attention.

“How much exactly is this?”

“Hm?” Harry whirled around and glanced at the price tag.

“Let's see, that's almost 300 pounds so that would be around 60 Galleons.”

Mr. Malfoy stared at Harry. Harry stared back.

“60 Galleons,” he asked and Harry nodded.

“For this whole book case.”

Harry nodded again.

Draco straightened up abruptly and started opening compartments, letting his hand glide over the wood, then motioned at Harry to come over and James couldn't suppress a smirk at the authoritative way he did that. With his head held high and a hissed: “Potter,” that would make James nervous if it was directed at him. All it did to his dad was making him smile before he whispered back: “Malfoy.”

Mr. Malfoy looked at him piercingly for a moment as if silently letting him know that he didn't appreciate the mocking tone, but asked: “What's wrong with it?”

“What's wrong with what?”

“The book case.”

“Why do you think there is something wrong with it?”

Draco arched an eyebrow. “It's only 60 Galleons. And it's huge!”

Harry laughed out loud and threw his head back in amusement.

“Yeah, well, that's IKEA for you. It's a rather cheap furniture store, Draco. It's their brand. It's affordable.”

Mr. Malfoy regarded him for a moment and finally nodded. “Very well, then.”

Harry nodded once at him before reminding Albus, who was telling Scorpius that “of course you can have a reading desk and an armchair to go with the case!”, that they needed an apartment first.

* * *

If Albus was being honest, he was absolutely having the time of his life. It was almost too easy that it was just him and Scorpius buying new things for their shared apartment. For their shared life. It took all kinds of willpower not to constantly grab his hand, hold him close or kiss any part of Scorpius he could reach. He held off though, not only due to the fact that both of their dads were here, as was his brother and Teddy, but there were also dozens of Muggles all around them, frantically trying to get the best deal and rushing past, actively doing their shopping.

When they got to the bed department though, he couldn't help but let himself fall next to Scorpius who was trying out a mattress and reaching for his hand.

“So? Do you like this one?” he asked, staring at the ceiling and smiling contently.

Scorpius moved a bit beside him and suddenly threw an arm over Albus' middle, snuggling into him.

Albus huffed in amusement.

“What?” Scorpius asked, lifting his head from where he'd placed it on Albus' chest.

“This is how I sleep, I can only truly say if I like the mattress if I test it in the most authentic way,” he defended himself.

“Whatever you need to tell yourself,” Albus said but had to admit to himself that he was quite comfortable. He sneaked his hand up Scorpius' back and started stroking his hair. He closed his eyes just for a second because this right here felt perfect to him. Scorpius breath shooting warmth through his hoodie every time he exhaled, the silent snuffels he made when he was at his most comfortable… Albust almost forgot that there were people all around them. It was too easy to forget when he got to lie here with Scorpius. To think that they could do this in the privacy of their own apartment soon, filled him with a happiness he hadn’t known he was even able to experience. 

“Awww,” James cooed when he suddenly appeared at the end of the bed.

“Not trying to burst your bubble here, but there are loads of people around you. Mind you, I am always in favour of a bit of PDA but knowing you two, you'll be embarrassed tomorrow,” he grinned.

Scorpius sighed and made to get up.

“Your brother is right, I hate it when your brother is right. Why is your brother...” Suddenly, there was a sharp intake of breath and Scorpius jumped off the bed.

James and Albus looked at each other and shrugged, Albus quickly following Scorpius. He found him perched over one of the rummage tables that seemed to be everywhere in the store.

He was currently cradling a children's soft toy between his hands, talking to it.

“Look Albus,” he said excitedly and presented the toy to his boyfriend.

“Isn't he adorable?”

It was small hedgehog and fit in between Scorpius' hands just perfectly. The quality was not the best and it had a large seam running through between its eyes. Between its paws, it held a tiny plush apple.

Albus looked back at Scorpius' face and felt his whole being crumble at the absolute bliss he found there.

“Isn't it adorable, Al? Look at its tiny apple.” He beamed and Albus could feel the resolve to tell Scorpius that he couldn't have it fade completely.

“Do you want it?” he asked instead.

Scorpius giggled and put it back down. “Don't be ridiculous Al, I'm an adult, I don't need a children's toy.”

Albus immediately picked it up again. “Good thing I didn't ask you if you _need_ it, then.”

* * *

James was looking at picture frames to organise his Quidditch posters when Teddy slid up to him.

“Jamie, you really have to stop doing that,” he murmured in a low voice, and it was only then that James noticed that he was absently biting his lip. He immediately stopped to grin widely at his boyfriend.

“Does that turn you on?”

Teddy groaned and darted a look around them. “Jesus, James. There are families here.”

“You haven't answered my question.”

“Well... it does not... not turn me on.”

James' grin widened and suddenly he thought that going to IKEA had been the worst idea he'd ever had when the alternative was spending some quality time with Teddy.

He bit his lip again, deliberately letting his front teeth sink into the soft flesh before soothing over it with his tongue, before letting them sink back in.

He saw Teddy swallow and faintly flush and couldn't help but feel utter satisfaction at the image.  
Teddy straightened abruptly and grabbed James' hand, darting a frantic look around.

“Come on,” he murmured and tugged at James' hand to make him follow. Together, they raced through the rest of the store, through the pick up area and past the tills to the food court.

Teddy led Jamed to a small corridor between the food area and the toilets and turned to James. In one quick movement, he gently pushed James against the wall and placed both of his hands next to James' head, caging him in. James brought his hands up to grab Teddy’s collar and pulled him closer. 

“We're in a weird corridor at IKEA,” James remarked, voice low.

Teddy seemed slightly breathless as he just nodded. “And I'll kiss you in a weird corridor at IKEA,” he murmured, eyes fixating James' mouth.

“Oh?” was all James could get out before Teddy pressed their mouths together in a slightly hurried, but nevertheless perfect kiss. James released Teddy’s now slightly wrinkled collar and wrapped his hands around Teddy's waist to pull him closer before deepening the kiss. He opened his mouth to let Teddy's tongue slip in, silently begging for more. They'd kissed countless times over the past couple of days and yet James felt like he was tingling all over, his mind was completely taken over by one thought: Teddy.

He kissed him with a passion that was probably – most definitely – inappropriate for a weird corridor at IKEA and when they finally parted, they grinned stupidly at each other.

For a moment, they just stared into the other's eyes before someone cleared his throat from behind Teddy.

James looked up and saw an IKEA staff member glare at them.

“Out,” was all he had to say before Teddy and James made their way back into the public area, laughing breathlessly at their youthful adventure.

James spotted their family at the food court and walked over, still grinning. Albus threw him one look and groaned, probably because of his freshly-snogged appearance. Teddy did have the habit of messing up James' hair, after all.

“What do you boys want?” Harry asked, without taking his eyes from the large display with the different dishes on offer.

James noticed with amusement, that Mr. Malfoy was scrunching his face up at the options, while Albus and Scorpius were screaming for Swedish meatballs.

Teddy stood next to his cousin and grinned. “Meatballs, Draco?”

Mr. Malfoy scrunched up his nose some more. “I think not.”

Harry turned around and huffed. “Come on, Draco, it's a must.”

“I don't think I'll want to put meat in my body that I can buy for 4 pounds. What is that in our currency, Potter?”

“Er... thirteen Sickles and three Knuts? That about?”

Mr. Malfoy looked appalled. “I cannot put meat in my mouth that is that cheap. I will get... diseases,” he told Harry in an urgent manner.

Harry looked thoughtful. “Well, you can have them in veggie? If you're fine with it being veggies?”

Mr. Malfoy was about to say something and closed his mouth again, regarding Harry closely. He finally nodded. “That seems okay.”

Harry grinned. “Okay, then. Veggie meatballs.” Harry turned to James. “What do you want?”

James' gaze was fixed on a girl eating a hotdog in front of the queue and had to look away again because it looked so obscene. He glanced at Teddy and a mischievous grin spread over his face.

“I think I'll have the hotdog,” he said in a low voice, achieving his goal and making Teddy look at him wide-eyed.

James tapped his index finger against his chin to appear thoughtful.

“Though _balls_ don't sound too bad, either...”

He was just about to say something else, before his father's voice interrupted him.

“No, nope. Jesus, James. _No_. You'll get the pasta. No wiener or balls for you. Merlin's pants. Keep it in yours, will you?” He shook his head in defeat and mumbled something about a burden to bear under his breath.

James shrugged happily and grinned at Teddy. “Worth a shot, eh?”

Teddy groaned and stepped closer to him so that he could lower his voice. “Can you please stop reminding my godfather that I am in a sexual relationship with his son? Thanks.”

James grinned unapologetically.

“Well, if it all goes as planned, he won't be around much to notice,” he murmured and jerked his head in the direction of where his father was whispering something to Draco, both of them starting to laugh in genuine joy.

Teddy regarded the two for a moment. “I'd actually be happy for them,” he said and frowned. “Who would've thought I'd be so invested in this when we first started this operation?”

“Who indeed,” James whispered as he took in Teddy's profile, thinking about this operation being the best thing that had ever happened to him, personally. He would have to thank Albus and Scorpius in a moment of weakness, he mused.

He looked over to his brother and his boyfriend and noticed with a fond smile that Albus had bought Scorpius the little hedgehog plush after all. Scorpius held it between his hands as if it was the most precious thing he possessed as he watched Albus gesticulate wildly while he spoke. He couldn't believe that his baby brother would be moving out and into domestic bliss. He was happy for him. Now even more so than he was before, because now he could easily slip his hand into Teddy's. Now he could wake up next to Teddy and press kisses all over his face until he woke up, too. He couldn't believe all of that had happened within such a short time and yet it felt like ages since Albus had gotten that flipchart out. He watched Scorpius laugh at something Albus said. Albus looked at his boyfriend with absolute adoration on his face before taking hold of the paper measuring tape Scorpius still insisted on wearing around his neck and pulled him softly forward and into a kiss. James felt his heart warm at the sight.

Maybe _he_ would buy the two of them one of those five book-cases, he thought. They'd certainly earned it.


	7. Chapter 6

James accompanied Teddy to his flat and Scorpius and Albus immediately retreated to Albus' room upon coming home from their shopping trip, which left only Harry and Draco in the kitchen.

Harry slowly took off his jacket and hung it up, smiling at Draco. “Wine?”

Draco nodded. “Or, if you'd prefer, I could just Floo home?”

Harry waved him off immediately. “Nonsense. Just hang up your jacket and come with me.”

He led them into the large living room of the house and motioned for Draco to sit on the sofa. Instead, Draco trailed after Harry into the kitchen and Harry could only barely suppress a satisfied smirk.

“Red or White?”

“Uh, Red, if you have it.”

Harry nodded. Silence stretched between their short snippets of conversation. It should make him feel uncomfortable, Harry thought. But instead it just made him feel at ease, somehow. Just like looking into his former rival's eyes had felt at the coffee shop his sons had dragged them to. He could feel his whole body relaxing from the company.

“So, er, your daughter is staying with Ginevra?” Harry nodded. “Yes. After the... divorce... the kids could choose who they were going to be with. We made quite clear why we were separating.” Harry paused and looked uncomfortable. “Well, James said he already knew because apparently a blind man could see that I'm gay – those were his words. Apparently the kids had spoken about that and Ginny and me we... talked about that as well. About how I just felt like I needed to be with her because it was what everyone was expecting me to do and I do love her, you know? I do. But she could see that I was unhappy and apparently my secret crushes at Hogwarts weren't quite so secret, so she gave me a choice.” He swallowed audibly and looking into his wine glass as if it held all the answers. “After... long and painful conversations, the boys decided to stay with me. I think partly because they felt like I would be lonelier than Ginny would be what with all her extended family. I think she secretly encouraged them to. However, when James and Al announced that they would be staying here, Lily let out a horrified shriek and threw herself into her mother's arms.” He laughed at the memory. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Draco leaning against the kitchen counter, where he'd just placed a bottle of wine and was now rummaging in the cupboard for two glasses.

“Do you miss her?” Harry looked at Draco then and took in the open curiosity on his face. 

“Lily?” He sighed. “Yes and no. I feel like I see her just as much as the boys even though they're always here. That's because we're still invited to the Burrow on Sundays and to the birthdays, and Lily does come over sometimes. And Albus has Scorpius now and James is at Quidditch practise most of the time. He's just home because he's been benched and told by his coach to get his shit together...” He looked at Draco conspiratorially. “I'm not sure starting a new relationship is what the coach meant.”

Draco shrugged, laughing. “Well, maybe it'll help him focus.”

Harry nodded and got placed two glasses on the counter. “But I actually meant Ginevra.”

Harry stilled for a second, a small smile spreading over his face. “I see her as much as I see Lily,” he said. “Every Sunday at brunch at the Burrow for example.”

Harry sighed at Draco's unbelieving look. “She's...” He ran his hand through his hair. “She's smart. I wasn't ready for a serious relationship. I wasn't ready for marriage. There were things about myself that I had still not figured out by the time we had James. Don't get me wrong, if I could do it all over again, I would do it exactly like this because my children are...” He paused, trying to find an accurate word. “They're my everything.”

He looked at Draco and immediately knew that he understood. His expression was soft and he was looking at Harry in a way that made him want to squirm.

He took the two glasses and handed one to Draco, their fingers briefly brushing.

Harry found that he enjoyed these little jolts of electricity he felt whenever he and Draco touched. He'd always liked them, even back in school when their touches were mostly born out of hatred and fighting.

“What about Astoria?” he asked and immediately cringed. It was hardly the same situation, was it? “I mean, do you miss her?” he tried to amend.

They made their way to the sofa and sat down. Harry brought his knee up so he could sit sideways and look at Draco as he spoke.

“I do. She was a lovely person and the best mother to Scorpius that I could have ever hoped for. She became my best friend,” he admitted and for the first time that Harry had known Draco, he saw raw emotion on his face.

“However.” Draco cleared his throat. “It was an arranged marriage after all. We did not love each other... that way.”

“I'm sorry,” Harry said, searching for something else to say, when Draco waved him off.

“It's not your fault. It's life.”

Harry nodded, still feeling like consoling his guest but not knowing how.

A loud crash sounded from above them, followed by a loud yelp and laughter.

Harry chuckled.

“Our sons are really something, huh?” he decided to say and effectively change the topic into a safer territory.

Draco smiled at him, eyes crinkling when he said: “They're everything.”

The silence that stretched out between them felt different than before, Harry thought. Maybe because he'd been spending so much time with Draco lately, or maybe because he had just admitted things to the man that he'd never really admitted to anyone else concerning Ginny. Harry momentarily felt like he'd forgotten how to breathe, when Draco conversationally broke the silence and said: “So, fun activities they put us through these past days, huh?”

Harry chuckled, thinking back to the pottery course especially. “If I didn't know better, I'd think they were trying to set us up.” He laughed before his brain could catch up with what his mouth had said. When it finally did, he blushed.

“Did seem like it. Tell me Harry, do you really think my Dragonhide backpack is a sight to behold?”

Harry frowned. “I thought we'd had that discussion back in school?”

Draco just grinned brightly at him until the sickle fell.

“Ah, is this about you being into men with glasses?”

Draco took a leisurely sip of his wine and winked. “Yes, men with glasses. All I ever talk about when in the company of both our sons.”

That made Harry throw his head back in laughter. “How did they even get the idea? I mean I don't even know if you like men in-”

“I do.”

The admission surprised Harry and he gripped the stem of his wineglass a little tighter. “But still, how would they know that you like me in parti-”

“Because I do.”

Draco looked back at Harry evenly and if he thought he was pierced by electric shocks before, it was nothing compared to how he felt now. Draco slowly placed his glass of wine on the coffee table in front of them and copied the motion with Harry's glass, never once taking his eyes off Harry's.

He shuffled closer, until his face was so close that Harry went a little cross eyed.

Nothing happened for a few tense seconds, before Draco slowly reached up and softly pushed a strand of Harry's fringe out of his face.

“May I kiss you?” he asked a little shakily and Harry was glad that he wasn't the only one feeling a little wrong-footed. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

And then Draco's lips were on his. Soft and hesitant at first, gaining more and more confidence as their mouths moved together.

When Draco cupped Harry's cheek and changed the angle slightly, Harry tried his best not to moan into the kiss. His hands came up and buried themselves in Draco's immaculate hair, taking great pleasure in knowing that he was the one messing it up. That he was the one making Draco Malfoy look dishevelled. He smiled against Draco's lips. He couldn't believe this was finally happening. He hadn't let himself indulge in thoughts about Draco Malfoy for years but he'd never been far from his mind. Especially when Albus had started dating Scorpius, who was a constant reminder of Draco's existence.

When they finally parted, they looked at each other panting. Harry took in Draco's now messy hair and kiss swollen lips and did groan silently.

“You're beautiful,” he said. He hadn't meant to say it but it had just slipped out. He blushed. In reply, Draco intertwined their hands together and pecked him once more on the lips. 

Draco let his eyes travel towards the ceiling and whispered: “You've no idea how long I've wanted to do that.”

“Oh?” Harry managed, feeling himself blush intensely.

Draco nodded, soft smile forming on his lips. “Years, Harry.”

“Since school?”

Draco nodded and Harry watched with satisfaction that his cheeks tinted a slight pink at the admission.

“Me, too,” he whispered before closing the gap between them again, not able to get enough of Draco's kisses now that he knew how they felt.

The next time they parted, Harry sat back a little, studying Draco’s face intently. He knew the question was stupid. But it kept nagging at the back of his brain and he knew that he would only feel better if he just asked.

“Uhm,” he started, biting his lip nervously - a habit he’d picked up during his Auror training and hadn’t been able to get rid of ever since. 

“If you… I mean. If you liked me in school…” He stopped.

“Yes?” Draco looked more amused than anything and Harry really didn’t know if he should just let it go. Apparently, his mouth had other ideas.

“I just… do you even want me now that I have…” He indicated his hair which, while messy as ever, had a few silver hairs in between the mop of black. “And...wrinkles and that?”

Draco huffed and cupped Harry’s cheek, looking deeply in his eyes: “You’re only getting better. Every day.”

Harry’s eyes widened and he felt himself tearing up a bit. He hadn’t felt his heart flutter so wildly since he’d been a teenager himself and if he was being quite honest, he had never expected to feel it again. Especially not like this, with Draco looking at him like he was speaking the absolute truth.  
When Harry kissed Draco this time, he was determined that he would not stop caressing Draco’s lips with his own until he fainted from lack of oxygen. He nearly succeeded, too, snogging Draco like they were both 18 again and had just discovered what snogging was, when suddenly another crash sounded, which made the two of them jump apart, before they could hear Scorpius giggle.

“Maybe not tell them quite yet?” Draco asked quietly, mischievous glint in his eye.

Harry shook his head solemnly. “They would be way too smug.”

Draco grinned. “They would be insufferable.”

* * *

They did tell them, eventually. They told them three weeks after the IKEA trip. The six of them were having a lovely dinner at Malfoy Manor, when Draco cleared his throat and clinked his knife against his glass.

He lifted his glass into the middle and started his toast.

“Here is to Scorpius and Albus who've finally found a flat which will be able to hold five book-cases.” He shot his son a fond look who just grinned back before eagerly kissing Albus' cheek. “Here is to James, for making his way back on the team.”

James threw his fists in the air and smiled widely.

“To Teddy Lupin who's just closed the most important case of his career – according to Harry.” He looked over at his cousin and lifted his glass. Teddy lifted his, too, in reply.

“And finally. To the four youthful people sitting at this table. You are horrible at being subtle. Your penmanship is truly atrocious.” He shot Teddy a look who just stared confusedly back. “Your idea of romance is slightly worrisome, but...” He reached over and took Harry's hand in his, smiling gently at his boyfriend and lifting their hands for their family to see. “Thank you anyway.”

There was a beat of silence and then there was utter chaos.

Scorpius jumped up and down with glee, Albus tried to rip out all of his hair in sheer excitement by the looks of it, Teddy smiled brightly and James performed some kind of victory dance. Everyone was shouting and howling and squealing and the Manor house-elves appeared, alarm evident on their faces.

Harry watched the scene play out with an amused expression on his face. He glanced at Draco, who was looking back at him with a smirk and a twinkle in his eye that made Harry snort in amusement. He leaned over and gave his partner a kiss, whispering: “Look at what you've done,” against his lips. He then turned his gaze back to their children and the mess they were making.

 _This is my family,_ he thought happily while taking it all in, _and they're everything._

**Author's Note:**

> This work is part of the 2018 HP Next Gen Fest. The creator will be revealed on November 30.


End file.
